That is right ladies!  We are going to dress you in fashion!  Jill-e Camera Bags is our NEW SOAR! Partner as of this morning!

What does this mean?  The three SOAR! winners will receive;

1.  Their own, hand picked, camera bag from Jill-e!

2.  A Gift Certificate to Upgrade to a LARGER Camera Bag when they have outgrown the first one (before the end of the year!).  Jill-e for LIFE ladies!

3.  And more, but we’ll announce that later! 

Here are just a couple beautiful samples!

Isn’t this AWESOME!  Jill and her business partner, Gail, both have BIG hearts for empowering women.  Can you imagine a better fit for SOAR! than Jill-e Camera Bags!  Not only are we going to equip you with the equipment, software and business consulting, but we are going to make sure you LOOK GOOD while you are shooting!  And yes, looking the part, especially highlighting your tastes and personality, is a BIG part of your business succeeding.  And we’ve got you covered now!

So ladies, go over to Jill-e’s website and start looking at the options.  Details will be sent to the winners after January 1st!

In the meantime, keep SOARing!  We’ve got more fun news to come and more videos!  That’s right, a dozen new videos or MORE, are going up later today.  Thanks for your patience in getting the new videos up.  The team reviews each one before we go live, and we are getting more and more.  It’s going to be a full weekend!

We are also working on getting up a FAQ on the SOAR! site.  AND, all your comments on the SOAR! website are so great.  We are listening and thinking about how to make this even better for all of you!  So much to learn with this being our first year.  Yes, Carey.  Brian wants you to know that he WAS listening.  He has already started putting first names to each video entry. 

Post a comment friends and tell Carey how much you love her and her hair!    A BIG thank you to her for introducing me to the newest SOAR! partner!)

Thank you Jill and Gail!  We are so excited to have you aboard as we SOAR!

xoxo,

Me Ra

p.s. If you are not entering SOAR! but love these bags, I believe there is a holiday discount happening right now on Jill-e’s website!

I’ve got some more EXCITING news to announce!  I’m coming to CA this week to do a Mini Workshop that is going to be FREE, yep I said FREE, at the Sony Style Stores!

What do you think!  I’m so excited!  This event is open to gals AND GUYS! (I know…can you believe it!  The guys are invited too!  Brian won’t have to be the only man in the room! )  Seriously, I can’t wait to meet YOU and also CATCH UP with past CONFIDENCE women!  We’re going to have a blast.

Space is limited in the Sony Style stores, so I would show up 15-20 minutes early.  If you can come, RSVP on today’s blog post.  You don’t have to RSVP, it’s just fun me to know your coming.

And for those of you who don’t live in Southern CA, here is the thing, with an awesome turnout, we might be able to do more FREE Mini Workshops at Sony Style stores in 2010!

Southern CA friends, are you coming?!!!!

The Juicy Details!

City #1

Date and City:  Tuesday, 12/8, SAN DIEGO! (that means we get to hang out in FIVE days!)

Time: 6pm-7:30pm

Location: Fashion Valley Mall

City #2

Date and City: Wednesday, 12/9, COSTA MESA! (only SIX days away!)

Time: 6pm-7:30pm

Location: Sony Style Store in South Coast Plaza

xoxo,

Me Ra

p.s.  My Copper Brown a330 DSLR camera will be there along with the new Kids in Focus DVD!  Woo-hoo!!!

p.s.s. The Copper Brown a330 DSLR camera won’t be there, it’s only available online at SonyStyle.com.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

SOAR! Scholarship is LIVE!  Join us in celebrating women!  Three Awards, Thousands Win!  Deadline to enter is December 21st!  www.soarwithmera.com

Did you see the Top Ten Holiday Stocking Stuffers post?  CLICK HERE!

Christmas lights went up this weekend in our neighborhood. We even got our first Christmas card! Eeks! I’m still finishing off our pumpkin pie! I’m not ready for the holidays to be official! Are you? You know what, I don’t think it matters if we’re ready. I think the holidays are here whether we’re prepared or not. So let’s form a circle! Gather in! We must support each other! I’ll support you tossing the leftover pumpkin pie as I make room for the eggnog. I’ll support you buying your own stocking stuffers b/c let’s face it, Santa doesn’t stuff our stockings the way mom did. So here we go ladies and gents; this is my Top Ten Stocking Stuffers for the Photo Enthusiast whether you are a beginner or pro!

I admit, you need a BIG stocking for #1. But it’s so worth it! The moment we’ve been waiting for is finally here!

#1 Me Ra’s Sexy Copper Brown, Sony a330 DSLR Camera and Lens!

Price: $549.99 BUY HERE!

Family Circle magazine highlighted this Copper Brown DSLR in their Favorite Holiday Electronic Picks! Check it out on the newsstands this month! And remember, the secret Sony trip we made this summer? We were filming a revised DVD for them called Kids in Focus. I’ll blog about that amazing experience more later. But here is the coolest news, when you purchase your new Sony Alpha DSLR, Sony will include a copy of our newly released Kids in Focus DVD! Exclusively available at Sony Style stores and Sony.com! If you get it, you must PROMISE to send me a photo of yourself with your sexy, new camera!

#2 The Buttery, Background 50mm f/1.8 lens.

Price: $149, BUY HERE!

I love this lens b/c it gives you the low fstop ability to create buttery, blurry backgrounds! FYI, all the images, shot live, for the Kids in Focus DVD were captured with the Sony a330 DSLR and 50mm lens! And believe me, I pushed the camera and lens abilities to the limits, and they both blew my expectations out of the water!

#3 NEW Refuse to Say Cheese Organic Cotton Baby Onesies w/ FOUR Colors to Choose from!

Price $24 Holiday Special $19.20 till 12/4!

Coupon: stockingstuffer BUY HERE!

Style 1

Style 2

I’ve been wanting to make Refuse to Say Cheese onesies forever! Aren’t they sweet! They are by far one of my favorite Stocking Stuffers! We even have two styles to choose from for the little ones. Sizes range from 6-18 months. And the boys versions are green onesies with the brown camera!

#4 Can’t forget about Mom! NEW Refuse to Say Cheese Women’s American Apparel T-shirts!

Price $29.99 Holiday Special $ till 12/4!

Coupon: stockingstuffer BUY HERE!

Style 1

Style 2

You asked for them, and we got them just in time for the holidays! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!!!

#5 Our Award Winning Instructional DVD Set.

Price $ 49.99 Holiday Special $39.99 till 12/4!

Coupon: stockingstuffer BUY HERE!

Fox News recommended the DVD set on TV as a top Holiday pick! NAPPA gave the DVD set their prestigious Gold Award! Sony’s new Kids in Focus DVD was inspired from this DVD set. And thousands of customers have emailed us their praise for Refuse to Say Cheese and Beyond the Green Box! What are you waiting for!

#6 The Sony External Flash for a price that’s hard to BEAT!

Price $129.99 BUY HERE!

I love this little flash because it solves the red eye and black cave problem in seconds. With this flash, you can point it toward the ceiling and bounce the light. Bouncing the light gets rid of all the red eye, and your kids don’t look like they are climbing out of black caves. It’s light weight, easy to snap on, and the price is pretty amazing!

#7 The BEST Photo Editing Software EVER: Adobe’s Lightroom 2.

Price $169.99 BUY HERE!

We do ALL our photo editing with Adobe’s Lightroom. I could sing Lightroom praises for hours. This software has made photo editing ten times faster. When you have little ones running around, fast post process is a BIG deal. Lightroom is super intuitive and Dynamic with a capital D! Ask other users, they will confirm what I’m saying.

#8 Stop Reinventing the Wheel with our Popular 101 Kits!

Price: $99, Holiday Price $79.20 till 12/4!

Coupon: stockingstuffer BUY HERE!

Do you want to stay up all night trying to reinvent the wheel on starting a photography business? Or, do you wish that someone did the research for you and just shared it all with you? I SHARE IT ALL in our popular 101 Kits. You’ll receive photo release waivers, marketing tips, package pricing, and much more. Just read the reviews when you click to buy now! We’ve received hundreds of HAPPY emails from customers! And when you buy two 101 Kits, you get an even better deal. Our Portrait 101 and Wedding 101 Kits are the most popular!

#9 Chic jill-e Camera Bags that will make Her Giddy!

Price: $24.99 to $384.99 BUY HERE!

My girlfriend Carey bought me a Jill-e Camera Bag for my birthday a couple years ago. Love it! Love it! You can’t beat the classiness of these camera bags for women (and they’ve got some pretty hip ones for men too–Brian approves! )

#10! Me Ra’s best resource for Artistic Inspiration: The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity-10th Anniversary Edition.

Price: $26.40 BUY HERE!

If your creativity needs to be inspired, this book is for you. There are endless exercises that jog your creativity, whether it’s tackling fears, beliefs we have regarding our worthiness to create, you name it, this book tackles it! It is my Bible when it comes to creative inspiration. You’ve heard me quote it several times, why not treat yourself or someone you love to their own copy!

_________________________

You have it friends! Our Top Ten Stocking Stuffers for the Photo Enthusiast! If your purchasing a product from our store (tshirts, onsies, DVDs, 101 kits) remember to use the Coupon: stockingstuffers. This Coupon will give you 20% off until this Friday, December 4th!

Happy Holidays!

xoxo,

Me Ra

I love this photography conference because every type of photography is represented here from editorial to fashion to wedding to National Geographic to portrait, you name it! AND, if your looking to buy new gear or accessories, these expos always have some of the BEST deals!

I’ll be doing a handful of different things, so it would be GREAT to meet you if you can make it. On Saturday, I’m doing a two hour session for ALL levels. The title is Keep the Memories Alive with Visual Storytelling. I’m really looking forward to this talk b/c I’ll be sharing a lot of Thailand images and talking about working with kids, whether your a parent or portrait photographer. I’ve purposely made this session open to ALL LEVELS. Even if you only own a Point and Shoot, come and be inspired! Good News: The cost is minimal, and you can sign up online or at the door.

Title: Keep the Memories Alive with Visual Storytelling

Date: Saturday: 1:15pm-3:15pm

Location: Jacob Javitz Convention Center, Room SB2

REGISTER HERE!

I’ll also be doing four 1 hour long sessions on the trade show floor at the Sony Booth #618 with a live model shoot. I would LOVE to meet you if you can make it to the trade show floor.

Here are the times I’ll be speaking on the trade show floor;

Friday: 9:45am, 12:45pm, and 3:45pm

Saturday: 11am

I encourage you whole heartedly to also see the other Sony Artisans of Imagery. All six of us will be presenting at the Sony booth, including Matthew Jordan Smith talking about his celebrity fashion shoots! A couple of the Artisans are also National Geographic photographers and FASCINATING to listen to. Christina Mittermier shoots all over the world with a focus on environment projects. She will be wonderful to hear. Seriously, you could just camp out at the Sony booth all day. I won’t be speaking on Thursday, but we’ll be there to hang out and meet some of you if can make it.

As you walk up the cement steps that lead into the Jacob Javitz Convention Center, see if you spot a Sony banner of Blaze with his slingshot.

But the week doesn’t end with speaking.

Thursday night, Sony is hosting a huge event with American Photo. They are throwing an invitation only party for 800 people at the Aperture Gallery. PDN’s International Photo Plus Expo is one of the main annual events where new cameras, lenses, accessories (you name it) are announced to the market. This year Sony has decided to do something different, and they are going ALL out with Sony Style! First, they are hosting the Sony World Photography Awards Global Tour.

Two, Photo Plus Expo marks the one year anniversary for the Sony Artisans of Imagery program. Instead of making the hype only around products, they are highlighting the six of us Artisans!

We were invited to send them six images that had a theme from a personal project we’ve worked on this year, specifically using the Alpha 900. All our photography projects are different and going to be on exhibit for two weeks at the prestigious Aperture Gallery. They will be revealed to the press and 800 guests Thursday night. My stomach is FULL of butterflies over this event. I’m so excited to see our images on exhibit. My project is called Dreaming. It’s based on the gifts I learned from our Thailand trip. I even got to include an essay with it that will be posted alongside the images. After the event, I’ll post the images and essay up so you can all experience it.

Sony has also made behind the scenes videos of each Artisan, so they’ll be revealing those to the public too. Brian and I are so excited! And did I mention that Brian is the best husband in the world. He bought me a beautiful, black, sparkly necklace and matching bracelet to wear Thursday night with my dress.

As I type this on the plane, guess who is sitting next to me? You’d never guess, so I’ll just tell you. My lawyer! Jennifer Wing has been the most phenomenal lawyer for our business the last several years. And in the midst of all our work together, she has also become a dear friend. We invited her to come join us Thursday night to see what her hard work helps us do. I feel like a little slice of home is coming with us.

If you can make it, post a comment, ping me on Facebook or shoot us an email. I would love to meet!

Wish us luck! We will keep you posted!

Me Ra

p.s. As I race the clock with my laptop battery, I’m working a blog for tomorrow that answers ALL your questions regarding the Unexpected Image from yesterday and how I captured it. Great questions. I think we need to talk about Depth of Field, and then how I got the image will make much more sense. So hopefully I have enough juice in this battery to make it happen for tomorrow.

p.s.s. For those of you who have been following the blog for a few years, remember when I did the post about flying to NY on a whim to meet Sony? Isn’t it crazy how much has happened?! Thanks for supporting me all the way. I bring you all in my hearts to the awards night. xoxoxo

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ONE Spot left! CLICK HERE !

Our Refuse to Say Cheese DVD series are now AWARD WINNING! Read the press release HERE ! If you haven’t ordered your own copy yet, check out our popular Instructional DVDs Refuse to Say Cheese and Beyond the Green Box , and our 101 Kits for starting or expanding a business in photography, click on the titles of your choice!

Below are the beautiful, amazing, inspiring Top Five Finalists for the Vacation Aperture Photo Contest! Blog readers were not only asked to submit a Vacation themed photo, but they were also asked to integrate Aperture into their image. Buttery, blurry backgrounds or foregrounds. To see a couple Honorable Mention images that demonstrate what Aperture is, check out today’s earlier post!

Win a CAMERA! Yes, you heard me!

We are taking our voting to the NEXT level this week! If we get 750 plus votes, yes 750 by this Friday at midnight, we get to give one of the Random Voters a hip, new, Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W170 camera!

Can you believe that?! I’m so pumped! But that means you’ve got to tell ALL your friends, family, even wake up Grannie, and get them to post their vote in TODAY’s comments! I know this contest is going to get crazy real fast with the voting, so we are going to close the voting this Friday, August 14th, at midnight PST. That means you have from now until midnight on Friday to vote!

How do you vote? See the FAQ below! (It’s super easy.)

But without further delay, I’d like to introduce you to the TOP FIVE FINALISTS for the Vacation Aperture photo contest! Notice how they used Aperture to tell their stories!

1. Fourth of July at the Stadium! by Jennie in Provo, Utah.

This image jumped out at me. It has this wonderful editorial feel to it. Jennie was able to frame the boys in such a way that helps us feel like we’re standing right in front of these guys. I have to ask Jennie, did you shoot this image with a wide angle lens b/c I can’t believe the immediate feel this image carries. You did an incredible job! AND, your use of aperture to tell the story is FANTASTIC. You could have just focused on your boy’s face and his face painting, framed tight, and left out all the surroundings. But the atmosphere of people in the stands, blurred, and going as far back as we can see, adds so much UMPH to the storytelling in this image. This is NOT a snapshot! This is a story! I also love the blue sky, and how it ties in with all the shades of blue on the boys’ faces, necklaces and teeshirts. Incredible image Jennie! Thank you so much for submitting! (Have you seen Jennie’s blog? Check it out!)

2. Fishing Break! by Liza in Key West, Florida.

Liza, this image is timeless. The decision to focus on the rocks in the foreground and let your son be a soft, blur in the background is incredibly moving. You’ve done a powerful thing with this image. You’ve given us a sense of volume. Think about that! To create volume with the one dimensional image as if it was a three dimension story is AMAZING. I feel like the volume of this image is quiet and peaceful. I hear the soft sounds of water and the subtle breeze. I hear it because of your decision to blur your son and not have everything in sharp focus. I also love the blue hues to this image. I think the blues accentuate the quiet feel even more. Liza, thank you for sharing a precious moment in your family vacation. (Be sure to check out Liza’s blog!)

3. Afternoon Getaway Vacation! by Carol Ann.

Take a good look at this image, it is HILARIOUS! Talk about using Aperture to tell a STORY! Carol Ann focused on the sign “Best User Age: 2 to 5 years of age”, and then let her husband blur in the background. Carol Ann, you did an AMAZING job! Your use of Aperture, blurring the background so we see just enough of your crazy husband going do the slide, is perfect! If you had shot this image in Auto mode, we would have lost a lot of the humor in the image. With your husband sharp in the background, just like the sign, it would have felt more like a snapshot vs. a story…or better said “a comedy”. Thank you for submitting this image (thank your husband too)! Thanks for giving us a great example of how blurred action in the background can draw out the humor in a story! (Be sure to check out Carol Ann’s Design and Photography website!)

4. Welcoming Grandma and Grandpa! by Jennifer.

After I narrowed down the submissions to the Five Finalists, I went back and read the notes people included. In Jennifer’s note, she said that she was deciding to not hide her photography anymore but take a risk and share it. And wow, I’m so glad she is sharing! Doesn’t this image take your breath away?! There is so much emotion in this single image. Who ever said photography was one dimensional…well, they never saw these Finalists! Can you just feel the excitement and energy pouring out of her daughter? And the use of Aperture makes this story pop! By choosing to blur the background (which is the arriving plane and trees), we subconsciously know that our focus is the little girl and her experience of this moment. And to tell you the truth, even though the plane is blurred–the presence of the plane becomes that much stronger b/c I know the story is about this little girl. Incredible job Jennifer! I’m so excited to see what else you share with the world! (Jennifer, if you have a blog or website, please share!!)

5. Escaping the Heat in the Good Old Tent! by Linnea while camping at Lake Mayfield.

Does anyone else feel the temperature in the room rise when they see this picture? The red tones are perfect for an image that is all about escaping the summer’s heat. And what a moment of expression Linnea caught on her son’s face. I have a couple things to say about this image. One, I LOVE how she cropped half of her son’s face out of the image. This choice made the image jump out at me. When Brian and I are shooting, we are often thinking “Less is More”. The expression in the boy’s single eye is enough to fill the whole frame. Good for you Linnea, way to try something different. I love how it turned out. The use of aperture is also wonderful in this image. I love how we see baby sister blurred in the background. We know she is there, and her facial expression is pretty powerful. But the focus is on big brother. It’s as if he is looking for a break from his sister and pulling away for a moment. The last thing I love about this image is the tight framing. A tent is close, tight quarters. I love how Linnea decided to frame in tight b/c it accentuates the close quarters that much more. Wonderful job Linnea! Thank you so much for sharing! (Learn more about Linnea!)

There it is! The Fabulous Five Finalists! Didn’t I tell you they were AMAZING!

Whoever gets the most votes will win their choice of three prizes!

And all of you, plus the winners, have the opportunity to win a Sony Cyber-shot Camera! All you have to do is post a comment and vote for your favorite finalist. Leave a few words about why they were your favorite, and you are entered into the Sony Cyber-shot Camera drawing!

Let’s go! 750 vote goal, HERE WE COME!

FAQ

FAQ #1: How do you vote?

Answer: Just click on the pink word “Comments” at the end of this blog post. Put the # of photo your voting for first (it makes counting the votes way faster), and then add a few words about why you like their image the most. Remember, your comments and feedback give to the Five Finalists more than any prize from us. Please be kind, encouraging, and share all that you can with these wonderful Five Finalists! Your feedback on their images is priceless! That’s why we do the Random Voter Awards, because we appreciate your voting and feedback so much. So spread the word to family and friends! And ask them to vote! We need 750 VOTES to give this camera away!

(Please vote one time for one image. Thanks!)

FAQ #2: Is there a new Photo Contest happening right now? And when is the Deadline?

Answer: After we announce the Winners for this contest, we’ll start a new one! Start thinking of a new theme! I love your ideas!

FAQ #3: What are the prizes for the Random Voters and the Finalist?

Answer: Scroll on down!!

Prizes for the Winning Finalist and the Random Voter Winners!

In the last couple of contests, we’ve broken our record for votes received! You all spread the word, and the votes came rolling in! If we clear 750 votes on this contest, we are going to pick a Random Voter (not necessarily #750, but a RANDOM Voter) to win the Sony Cyber-shot camera!!!

And then we’ll keep going and pick one more Random Voters to win a $25 customized, cool looking Starbucks card! So that’s one Random Winner of a new, slick Sony Cyber-shot camera, and one MORE random winner of $25 customized Starbucks cards, if we clear 750!

Deadline for all voting is this Friday night, 5 days from now, 8/14, at midnight PST!! That means we have to clear 750 votes by that time for two Random Voters to be picked and win a Sony Cybershot Camera!

Prize for being the Winner of the Five Finalists!!!

Now what about the finalist’s prize! What will they get? Well first, each finalist should vote too so they get a fair shot of winning the Sony Cyber-shot camera!

Great question! The finalist will get their choice of one of our 101 Kits or the downloadable version of our Refuse to Say Cheese/Beyond the Green Box DVD series. And then, and THEN they also get to choose between one of two MORE things!

1. Their own copy of Adobe’s Lightroom 2.0 Software!

2. Or a copy of the newly released DVD “See the Light” by Carlos Baez! Watch the trailer by clicking the title. Carlos is not only a dear friend, but he is also a PHENOMENAL photographer who has years experience in the fashion and wedding industry and is now sharing his knowledge on lighting with the wedding and portrait world. This guy is loaded with tips and strategies on lighting. We just got our own copy of his DVD, and I can’t wait to watch it. Carlos is a master with lighting, and on top of that he has a HUGE heart for teaching people. Just watching him work with his clients is amazing. Your business can’t help but go to the next level with this new DVD. Check out his blog! To purchase Carlos’s new DVD, check out the Photography Mentor store. Retail Price for “See the Light” is $175!

So get all your friends and family to jump on here and vote before Friday at midnight!

Enjoy! VOTE AWAY!!!

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

For more fun photo exercises, check out our Award Winning, Instructional DVDs Refuse to Say Cheese , our 101 Kits for starting or expanding a business in photography , click on the words of your choice!

A big thanks to all the moms who shared their Mother’s Day stories. I loved reading them all! Some had me laughing so hard and others made me cry! Some were down right inspiring, and wow, some of you need to take a day off after working so hard on YOUR day! Do you know how amazing and beautiful you all are?

The one story I still can’t get over is by Katie Jordan . Did you read her story about how they had to take the oven apart to get their artichoke frittata out of it? It’s HILARIOUS! The woman needs to take her, her hubbie and mom out for a latte after that craziness! Katie, thanks for sharing! Email Genie, at genie@merakoh.com, with your address, and we’ll get the Starbucks card off to you! To read Katie’s whole story (and it’s so worth it for a good laugh), check out yesterday’s blog post.

On to the Photo Contest Finalists! Time to VOTE!!

Some of you forgot. Some of have been waiting. Some of you have no idea what I’m talking about! But here we are! It’s time to start doing our Photo Contests again!

Your about to see the TOP FIVE FINALISTS for the Simple Gifts Photo Contest!!

Does everyone remember how to do this?

You have a couple ways to win! If your a finalist, you can win be receiving the most votes. You will have THREE, not two, (I added a new prize) but THREE prizes to choose from! See details below!

If your a Voter, you can win by voting! It’s that simple. Because we cherish our voters and their feedback, we will pick TWO Random Voters to win prizes too! AND, if we CLEAR 500 VOTES, one of those Random Voters gets to claim Lightroom 2.0 as a prize! Nice huh! All you have to do is post your vote and give the photographer some positive feedback on why you liked their photo the best.

You can check by this Monday to see if you were one of the TWO Random Voters!)

But for now, let’s welcome these talented photographers and their inspiring work.

The theme was Simple Gifts. You were invited to submit an image that somehow conveys the theme of Simple Gifts. A theme that is this open can be good and tough at the same time. Check out what our finalists submitted!

Finalist #1, The Wedding Gift, by Laura from Grand Rapids, Michigan

Laura submitted an image of an incredibly touching Simple Gift. When she and her husband were married, Laura’s dad gave her this heart shaped box. For a dad to “make” a gift for his kids, wow, that alone is moving. Her father took the time to cut out images of his favorite father/daughter moments throughout the years. He cut each image out in the shape of this heart box and wrote notes on the back. Not only did Laura receive one of the most amazing wedding presents in the world, she did a wonderful job at capturing the heart shaped box.

I love how her dad’s inscription is lit on the heart shaped box. The sepia tone adds to the timeless that the gift possesses. And I love how she created drama with the blurred background of the bottom half of the heart shaped box. Laura, thank you so much for sharing such a special part of your life with us. The gift and the image you captured are both beautiful!

Finalist #2, “You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out!” by Michelle Sidles, Washington

Michelle and her family were headed to California for Christmas when the Blizzard of 08 hit. Their flight was canceled last minute, and they had zero food in the refrigerator and zero gifts for under the tree. That night she and her husband scrambeled to find something they could wrap and put under the tree. She said her son would have never dreamed of asking for his own BB gun b/c of the whole thing “You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out”, but they decided to surprise him. I can’t imagine how surprised he must have been. Some of my younger brother’s best memories are when they would hike with our grandpa through the trees in Eastern WA practicing their aim with the BB guns.

The image can be a bit startling at first if you didn’t grow up with BB guns. But I love how striking it is. It is so obvious that this boy is in love with his BB gun. It may have been the only thing under the tree, but I think he’s okay with it. I love how the target practice is set up behind him. I love how the image is horizontal, almost square shaped, and every thing in the image adds to the story. There isn’t any thing we see in the image that shouldn’t be there. Michelle, great job! Thanks so much for submitting! Check out Michelle’s blog too!

Finalist #3, Siblings, by Denise from Arizona!

Denise said her Simple Gift was siblings. She has recently been reflecting on how much her brother means to her. In her submission, she wrote; “No one on earth lived my childhood with me, and saw things that I saw at that time–except my brother.” It’s so simple, and yet so true. Her submission is perfect for the Simple Gift Photo Contest. Denise also said that since she wasn’t able to take a picture with her brother, she decided to submit this image. Here are four brothers with their dogs in the back of the truck. And I want to add, “without a care in the world”.

Denise, I LOVE how all four brothers have different focal points. What a great story you have captured! Yes, they are brothers and growing up together, but they all have different views of their childhood. I also love how you composed the shot with the different places they are each sitting, standing, leaning, etc. The dogs are a great touch. Way to go. Adding pets isn’t always easy! And Denise has her own beautiful website! Check it out! There are two shots of mom pregnant and then holding baby that are priceless. Beautiful work Denise!

Finalist #4, F 2.8, by Michelle from Wisconsin!

Michelle said that her Simple Gift idea is photography. And the way she has created this message is incredibly simple but striking. In her email she wrote that she wanted to portray the gift of photography “simply but with a little whimsy”. I think she pulled it off beautifully!

She used her daughter’s blocks to spell out her favorite aperture: F 2.8. (Can I get an AMEN everyone!) The lighting is great on this image with the white tile floor and the blurred wall color behind. Both of these elements add to the clean feeling this image gives. Michelle, did you shoot this image at a 2.8? Thanks so much Michelle for submitting your image! Your gift was one that so many of us can appreciate, but your idea of how to portray this was so original! I just love it! Michelle also has an awesome website and blog that you must see, especially her Public Enemies gallery. That is super fun to look through!

Finalist #5, Daily Treat, by Katie from Mississippi!

Katie submitted this image of her son feeding his horse a carrot. She said that every day her horse gets to look forward to this Simple Gift. What a great idea for a photo submission. I love a number of things about this image. I love how the little boy is centered in the bottom half. I don’t often center my subjects, but for this image it works so well because of how it shows us perspective. What do I mean by perspective? I love how we see the size difference between the horse gate and the big horse itself! I love how the little boy is reaching up. I picture him being on his tip toes, even though I don’t see his feet. The energy is still moving upward enough for me to fill in the blanks. And the black and white toning helps add focus to the little boy and horse. Wonderful job Katie! You caught a great moment, and I love that you shared it with us! Thank you so much!

All five of these women are so talented AND totally going for it with their cameras and creative eyes! We applaud them all.

There you have em’! The Top Five Finalists for the Simple Gift Photo Contest! Now you have the tough job of voting for ONE!

FAQ #1: How do you vote?

Answer: Just click on the pink word “Comments” at the end of this blog post. Put the # of photo your voting for first (it makes counting the votes way faster), and then add a few words about why you like their image the most. Remember, your comments and feedback give to the Five Finalists more than any prize from us. Please be kind, encouraging, and share all that you can with these wonderful Five Finalists! Your feedback on their images is priceless! That’s why we do the Random Voter Awards, because we appreciate your voting and feedback so much. So spread the word to family and friends! And ask them to vote!

Please vote one time for one image. Thanks!

FAQ #2: Is there a new Photo Contest happening right now? And when is the Deadline?

Answer: After we announce the Winners for this contest, we’ll start a new one! And it won’t take me four months to post the finalists!

FAQ #3: What are the prizes for the Random Voters and the Finalist?

Answer: Scroll on down!!

Prizes for the Winning Finalist and the Random Voter Winners!

In our last photo contest , we had over 586! We broke our record again! It was amazing! You all spread the word, and the votes came rolling in! If we clear 500 votes AGAIN on this contest , we are going to pick a Random Voter (not necessarily #500, but a RANDOM Voter) to win a copy of Adobe ‘s Lightroom software again!! And then we’ll keep going and pick one more Random Voters to win a $25 customized, cool looking Starbucks card! So that’s one Random Winner of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom and one MORE random winner of $25 customized Starbucks cards, if we clear 500!

Deadline for all voting is this Sunday night, 4 days from now, 5/16, at midnight PST!! That means we have to clear 500 votes by that time for two Random Voters to be picked and win Lightroom !

Prize for being the Winner of the Five Finalists!!!

Now what about the finalist’s prize! What will they get?

Great question! The finalist will get their choice of one of our 101 Kits or the downloadable version of our Refuse to Say Cheese/Beyond the Green Box DVD series. And then, and THEN (we’re hooking our Finalists up for 2009! ), they also get to choose between one of two MORE things!

1. Their own copy of Adobe’s Lightroom 2.0 Software

2. Or a copy of the newly released DVD “See the Light” by Carlos Baez! Watch the trailer by clicking the title. Carlos is not only a dear friend, but he is also a PHENOMENAL photographer who has years experience in the fashion and wedding industry and is now sharing his knowledge on lighting with the wedding and portrait world. This guy is loaded with tips and strategies on lighting. We just got our own copy of his DVD, and I can’t wait to watch it. Carlos is a master with lighting, and on top of that he has a HUGE heart for teaching people. Just watching him work with his clients is amazing. Your business can’t help but go to the next level with this new DVD. Check out his blog! To purchase Carlos’s new DVD, check out the Photography Mentor store. Retail Price for “See the Light” is $175.

3. Or, a NEW PRIZE !!! Since so many of our finalists have their own websites and/or blogs, I’d like to offer a third choice. As I was looking at the Finalists websites/blogs, I had so much feedback to give. I’d like to offer a 45 minute, private, consultation phone call to the winner to talk about how to strengthen their websites/blog for their business! Please understand that ALL their websites and blogs are AWESOME. I’ve just learned a few tricks over the years that I’d love to share with them. It’s a fun option if the winner already has prizes 1 and 2! And best of all, I would love to chat with the winner on the phone! (If you choose this prize and find it would be more helpful to talk about photography, juggling business/family as a mother, going to Thailand , your business strategy, marketing tips, etc. You let me know! I’m yours for 45 minutes!) Value: Private 1 hr. Consultations are $500.

So get all your friends and family to jump on here and vote before Sunday at midnight!

Enjoy! VOTE AWAY!!!

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sony Camera Contest Winners will be Announced NEXT WEEK !!! Stay tuned!!! (boy, is this contest week or what!)

For more fun photo exercises, check out our popular Instructional DVDs Refuse to Say Cheese , our 101 Kits for starting or expanding a business in photography , click on the words of your choice!

There are six Sony Artisans altogether, who represent various fields of photography; National Geographic, Fashion, Editorial, Fine Art, Wedding/Portrait, Landscape, etc.

I feel honored and thrilled to be a part of this team of photographers. The combined talent is exciting!

Matthew Jordan Smith is on the team!

Woohoo! We all love Matthew! Check out his blog for his latest post on lighting tips!

The talented Cristina Mittermeier! Her website if riveting. This one example of what I mean by riveting!

National Geographic and Fine Art photographer, David McClain.

Yep, he shot the cover (and more) for National Geographic. You must also go to his website and check out his collection of photos on Hotels and Details. They inspire me to get out of the box. I could stare at some of them for hours.

Andy Katz, a photographer that captures both landscapes, wildlife and people. His work challenges me. This example of a South Africa image he captured is what I mean! The levels of beauty on this one image is amazing.

Brian Smith, Pulitzer Prize winner and overall great guy, whose work will make you smile over and over again!

Would you say an amazing group of photographers, or what!? To see all their images in one place, go to Sony’s Backstage 101 site!

I am kicking off this opportunity with an online interview on Sony’s website! And it’s FREE!

I’m telling you, this is interview craziness!

If you missed Photography Mentor’s interview or Ask Dane’s in the last few weeks, we’ve got one more web opportunity for you before we head to Thailand!

On February 10th (day after my bday ), I’m doing a hour long interview on Sony’s Backstage 101 website! You can join us for free. But you have to sign up/register. Check out THIS LINK! You are welcome to join and ask me whatever you’d like. The last two interviews were full of such great questions. If you missed them, I hope you can make this upcoming one!

DATE: February 10th

TIME: 5-6pm PST / 8-9pm EST

A big thanks to Sony for the invitation to join such an amazing team!

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Register for the Discovery Workshop today!!

For fun photo exercises, check out our popular Instructional DVDs Refuse to Say Cheese and Beyond the Green Box (They are BACK IN STOCK!! Yeah!!), our 101 Kits for starting or expanding a business in photography , click on the words of your choice!

Little background first…

The week before our workshop, Abbey emailed me and Brian and said she had been working for a wedding photographer as an assistant. Abbey was hoping the workshop would help her with confidence and skills b/c she wanted to be that much better of an assistant to her boss. But when her boss heard that she was coming to our workshop, she decided to “let her go” b/c she thought Abbey would be to good afterwards. Brian and I were speechless. This was a first!

Abbey told us she was totally thrown off, but was going to try and look at all of this as a sign to get her own business off the ground. She had the BEST attitude one could have for such a surprise turn of events.

After the workshop Abbey’s friend, a makeup artist, asked her to be the photographer for a fashion shoot. This request literally came the night the workshop ended. Abbey freaked out and said “NO!” because she knew nothing about fashion shooting. But her friend talked her into it, and the Tuesday after our workshop ended she was doing her first fashion shoot!

I thought I’d let you read Abbey’s words of what happened next.

I MUST say I was out of my element, but I could use so many of the things you guys taught me. I metered, talked to the models the entire time to keep them comfortable, I even bounced my flash (like a raquet ball, Brian)!! ha ha! I thought I would share a few pictures. Feedback is seriously helpful! I hope I did not embarrass myself or you, but was proud of myself for WAY stepping outside of the my “box”!! I sent these to the style team, and they have asked me to do the next photo shoot too!!!

Here are a few of the shots Abbey took! If you have a free minute, post a comment with some feedback! I think she did AMAZING for her first time of metering light and working a fashion themed shoot!

Way to go Abbey!!!

Update on San Francisco Workshop!

At your request, we will release ALL the details regarding the upcoming workshop on tomorrow’s blog post. On Wednesday morning, we will open registration to all our former workshop attendees for the first week. Next Wednesday, we will begin the Early Bird Special for everyone else with whatever spots we have left!

As a little treat…

Garrett, shot this beautiful image to give us a sneak peak of where our location will be for the workshop! I can’t WAIT!

(thanks Garrett! You’re AWESOME!)

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

For fun photo exercises, check out our popular Instructional DVDs Refuse to Say Cheese and Beyond the Green Box (They are BACK IN STOCK!! Yeah!!), our 101 Kits for starting or expanding a business in photography , click on the words of your choice!

Yvonne, you did an AMAZING job with this shot! And as you can see, a ton of people agree! (If you haven’t seen Yvonne’s awesome blog, check it out!)

When Yvonne found out she was one of the Five Finalists she wrote me this great email that talked about shooting the red shoes. Your going to love the set up she describes!

Omg Me Ra!! I can’t believe I made it to the five finalists!! Thank you so much, I really owe it all to you because I have watched the Refuse To Say Cheese and Beyond the Green Box dvds so many times!! I don’t know if I should of included a story with the picture because I figured the image should speak for itself and I was hoping it would mean something special to who ever views it. But the set up is a different story – it was seriously by chance that I captured this shot!! I was watching early morning cartoons with the kids one morning and as the morning light fell through the blinds it created a magical feeling in the room. My two little ones kept asking where the sparkles were coming from and when I finally figured it out it was the sliver of light falling on the ruby slippers!! At first I didn’t think to try and photograph it because it was unfavorable circumstances (besides me being tired in the wee morning hours). As the time past and the light changed I felt awful passing up the chance to practice so I gave it a shot. I took lots of pictures of the original clutter of the house trying to capture the magic of the moment but they were just discarded shoes on the floor and I couldn’t get the sparkles that filled the walls. I repositioned the shoes on my ottoman and placed it in direct line of the light… unfortunately I couldn’t get the sparkles on the wall but I noticed the dust in the air was just as pretty and so I had the kids jump on the couch to stir things up!!…

Yvonne, thanks for sharing that great story!! I’m so glad you loved the DVDs! And the story behind your shot is awesome, especially getting the kids involved! I had to share it with everyone here!

I hope you were blessed by all the wonderful comments people made! If you ever needed a few hundred people to confirm your awesome eye for photography, you’ve got it now sister! Now it’s time to claim your prize! Let us know which 101 Kit would be most helpful to take your budding business to the next level! It sounds like you’ve got the DVDS, if you have a friend you’d like to bless with the DVDS let us know and we’ll forward the downloads to them in your honor!

AND my dear, which do you prefer? Your own Adobe Lightroom software to speed up your post process (fasten your seatbelt b/c Lightroom is AWESOME) OR the most unique prize ever, a copy of the newly released DVD “See the Light” by Carlos Baez! Watch the trailer by clicking the title. Carlos is not only a dear friend, but he is also a PHENOMENAL photographer who has years experience in the fashion and wedding industry and is now sharing his knowledge on lighting with the wedding and portrait world. This guy is loaded with tips and strategies on lighting. We just got our own copy of his DVD, and I can’t wait to watch it. Carlos is a master with lighting, and on top of that he has a HUGE heart for teaching people. Just watching him work with his clients is amazing. Your business can’t help but go to the next level with this new DVD. Check out his blog! To purchase Carlos’s new DVD, check out the Photography Mentor store. Retail Price for “See the Light” is $175.

Pick your favorite prize, and then email my right hand woman, Genie, at genie@merakoh.com. And we will get your prize to you right away!

To all our VOTERS, A HUGE thank you and WOO-HOOOOO!!!!! We had 583 VOTES!! We blew our goal of 500 goal RIGHT OUT OF THE WATER!!! And again, you were all so awesome to give your two cents on why you liked your favorite image. Talk about an AWESOME community! Thanks for spreading the word! You have no idea how much your votes and comments blessed the Five Finalists!

Since we hit our goal of having 500 or more votes, one of our voters gets a free copy of Lightroom!!

The BIG, WINNING RANDOM VOTER who won Lightroom is….(drum roll!) J. T. who wrote;

I vote #3,
the story is amazing, and the pic is to.

J.T., you didn’t hyperlink your name or leave an email so I’m hoping you check back in to see that you’ve won a copy of Lightroom! Email us at genie@merakoh.com!

But we also want to give two more Random Voters a $25 Gift Certificate to Starbucks!!!

The FIRST RANDOM VOTER one is crazy to me because I think I know her from twenty years ago. Merri Van Houte! Merri, are you “Merri Van Houte” from high school youth group!! Merri, this is crazy to see your name here! How the heck are you!! I didn’t even know you followed the blog until I found out you were one of the Random Voter Awards! How crazy is that! Maybe I can buy you a Starbucks in person, and we can catch up! Email Genie at genie@merakoh.com, and we’ll ship you your gift card!

My vote is for #5. I think the photograph is enchanting, without even reading the meaning behind the photo, it inspires a smile.

The SECOND RANDOM VOTER is Lisa who wrote;

#4
I have to tell you it was very difficult to choose. I was struggling with what am I basing my decision on – the image or the emotion. If it was the image I would have selected 3, because i just love it. But since the topic was emotion I decided to go with the image that stirred the most emotion in me, #4. They were all great, congrats ladies for making it to the finals.

A big congrats Lisa!! Check out Lisa’s website while your at it! And Lisa, email Genie at genie@merakoh.com to claim your gift card!

Remember, you still have time to enter your photo for the Simple Gifts photo contest! Look to the top right margin for the active countdown to submit! The rest of the details are as follows!

FAQ #1: Is there a Photo Contest happening right now? And when is the Deadline?

Answer: Yes! We picked the theme Simple Gifts Theme right before the holidays. You must send an image that in some way conveys the theme Simple Gifts. The deadline was January 4th, but since I forgot about the contest during my “unplugged” time off, we should extend the deadline. Don’t you think? Let’s make the Deadline for Simple Gifts, Sunday, January 25th 2009 PST . Send your images as an attached JPG (small in size) to contest@merakoh.com . Prizes will be as good as what you read below!

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

To get your own copies of the DVDs that Yvonne, the Winning Finalist, mentioned click here!!!! To see what 101 Kits Yvonne has to choose from, click 101!!

If you are new to the blog, let me catch you up.

Way back when, we opened a photo contest for the most Inspirational Object. Remember that, feels like years ago!

Well, let’s fast forward to today! What better way to start the new year than be inspired by the Top Five Finalists for the Inspirational Object Photo Contest!

You will love these images, but you can only vote for one! See voting guidelines, FAQ, and prize info below.

For now, meet your talented finalists and be inspired!

Finalist #1, 1930′s Piano, by Julie

I wish I could do a post of all the piano images that were submitted b/c they remind me of the baby’s feet images from yesterday’s post. So many of you sent piano images, and each one was different in perspective. Each image was well done! We picked Julie’s as one of the five finalists b/c of the unique angle she shot from.

The piano fills the frame. The keys blur off the bottom corner of the image and you feel like the piano goes on forever and forever. I don’t know about you, but I also felt like I was sitting at the piano. The image composition is that inviting, drawing us in. The post process Julie chose was also well done. The vintage, sepia tones lends to that timeless feeling. But more than the timeless feeling, it makes one feel like the piano is magical, almost weightless. These are just a few things that come to mind when I see Julie’s beautiful image. What comes to your mind? Thank you Julie! Your image is wonderful! Check out Julie’s blog too!

Finalist #2, Asher’s Onsie, by Jennifer

The image alone is striking b/c of the meaning it holds. From a photography perspective, we loved how Jennifer composed this image. There are a couple elements that stick out to us that make her image stand out. I love that the onsie is hanging on the doorknob b/c it adds instant emphasis to how small this little one is. We already know the one who wears this is a baby, but Jennifer helps accentuate that point by hanging the onsie on the doorknob. And what I like even more than the doorknob is the blurred crib in the background. If this was intentional, BRAVO Jennifer! She also shoots down on the onsie to give the effect of it looking smaller and then there is a slight camera tilt which adds a little motion to the image. All these little details combined equal a great image. Jennifer also has a great blog! Be sure to check that out! And now to keep you from suspense, here is the story behind this sweet onsie.

Asher’s onsie is my inspirational object because it reminds me of how big miracles come in small packages. Asher is the son of a friend of mine who has overcome challenges he was born with. He had a heart defect and major open-heart surgery when he was born, and now at almost a year he is free of most of his medication and has a clean bill of health. I myself was born with a heart defect as a preemie twin born at 28 weeks weighing two pounds and two ounces and had life-saving surgery at two weeks old.

Finalist #3, Love and Coffee, by J.P.

J.P.’s image stuck out to us because of how warm his composition was (no pun intended ). The story behind why this coffee mug is his Inspirational Object will warm you right up. (pun intended )

My wife and I met in our favorite local coffee shop; I was 24, she was 19–far too young for me. I liked her an awful lot, though, and over the next year we spent a lot of time talking over coffee. Eventually, I realized that she was too amazing to keep at a distance, and so, sitting in our coffee shop, I asked her if she’d like to start seeing me romantically. She said yes, and a few years later said yes again when I asked her to marry me at that same table in the same coffee house. This cup and another like it were given to us by the wonderful owner of the coffee shop. They were the last two remaining of the old style of cups that had gradually been replaced by shinier, whiter cups that lacked the character of the old mugs. I love the chips and the stains in our matching coffee cups–they remind me that, although we’re bound to get banged up a little bit, we’re going to continue to bring one another warmth and comfort for years and years to come.

What did I tell you? Isn’t that a great story! But the story isn’t the reason why J.P.’s image was picked. A handful of you sent coffee mug images too, but J.P.’s soft lighting and buttery, blurry background guided my eye into the significance of this one mug. The lighting and blur played hand in hand in making this image give off a warm energy. J.P., was this window light that you used? I only ask b/c of how beautiful and soft the lighting is. There is also background in the image, but the background is intentionally blurred and the blur almost accentuates the solid colored mug. Even the light colored coffee inside the mug adds to the softness of the story behind this image. I don’t know if J.P. meant to, but it feels like he thought of every detail in composing an image of a single coffee mug. Great job J.P.! Thank you for submitting!

Finalist #4, Tic Tacs, by Ashley

The story behind this image reminded me of Brian and the kids, except we always buy little packs of gum. Not only are you going to love Ashley’s story, but don’t you love her composition of this image? It’s awesome. The low F stop with the tic tacs blurred in the foreground, and how Ashley filled the frame. Great job Ashely! You took a simple object and really brought it to life. Thank you for sharing! Here is Ashley’s story in the email she sent me;

The tic tac tradition started when I was a little girl. My mom would put orange tic tac’s in my brother and my Christmas stockings at first. Then she would hide them in my bag when I would go to my dad’s house on the weekend as a kid, go on vacation, or leaving home for college. Now, as a grown woman, she still hides tic tacs in my bag when I leave her house from a visit. Over time, orange tic tacs became a reminder of her love and strength when she wasn’t with me. A month ago, my husband and I went to see her for a visit. When I got home, I found these in my bag.

Finalist #5, No Place Like Home, by Yvonne

Red slippers was another popular image that was submitted by many of you. Yvonne’s image really jumped out at us. The sun flare captured in this image added a magic to the shoes. When we think of red slippers we think of the Wizard of Oz and all the magic of the movie. I remember watching the movie as a little girl and having my own pair of red slippers that I insisted on wearing with my white flower girl dress. The shoes were magical to me, and Yvonne has done a great job of capturing a magical element through her use of sun flare. Can’t you almost see those shoes tapping on their own? I also like how Yvonne filled the frame with the shoes. The background is free of distraction and all our attention is on the magic of the shoes. Yvonne, I would love to know how you set up this shot! If you are comfortable with sharing that would be great! Thank you for submitting your image, and congrats on becoming one of the Top Five Finalists!

There you have em’! The Top Five Finalists for the Inspirational Object Photo Contest! Each on is truly inspiring. Now you have the tough job of voting for ONE!

FAQ #1: How do you vote?

Answer: Just click on the pink word “Comments” at the end of this blog post. Put the # of photo your voting for first (it makes counting the votes way faster), and then add a few words about why you like their image the most. Remember, your comments and feedback give to the Five Finalists more than any prize from us. Please be kind, encouraging, and share all that you can with these wonderful Five Finalists! Your feedback on their images is priceless! That’s why we do the Random Voter Awards, because we appreciate your voting and feedback so much. So spread the word to family and friends! And ask them to vote!

Please vote only one time for one image. Thanks!

FAQ #2: Is there a Photo Contest happening right now? And when is the Deadline?

Answer: Yes! We picked the theme Simple Gifts Theme right before the holidays. You must send an image that in some way conveys the theme Simple Gifts. The deadline was January 4th, but since I forgot about the contest during my “unplugged” time off, we should extend the deadline. Don’t you think? Let’s make the Deadline for Simple Gifts, Sunday, January 25th 2009 PST . Send your images as an attached JPG (small in size) to contest@merakoh.com . Prizes will be as good as what you read below!

FAQ #3: What are the prizes?

Answer: Scroll on down!!

Click here for Seven Quick Photo Tips to photographing your own Inspirational Object!

Prizes for the Winning Finalist and the Random Voter Winners!!______________________________________________________________________________________

Don’t forget to vote before you leave! You could be picked as a Random Voter and win a gift card to Starbucks or a copy of Adobe ‘s Lightroom ! Yep, that’s right! You heard me say it correct! (but FYI, remember to check back when I post the Random Voter Winners so you know that you’ve won and can claim your prize! )

In our last photo contest , we had over 487 votes by the cut off time! It was amazing! You all spread the word, and the votes came rolling in! If we clear 500 votes (that’s only 13 more than last time) on this contest , we are going to pick a Random Voter (not necessarily #500, but a RANDOM Voter) to win a copy of Adobe ‘s Lightroom software again!! And then we’ll keep going and pick two more Random Voters who win a $25 customized, cool looking Starbucks card! So that’s one Random Winner of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom and TWO more random winners of $25 customized Starbucks cards, if we clear 500!

Deadline for all voting is this Monday night, 5 days from now, 1/12, at midnight PST!! That means we have to clear 500 votes by that time for two Random Voters to be picked and win Lightroom !

Prize for being the Winner of the Five Finalists!!!

Now what about the finalist’s prize! What will they get?

Great question! The finalist will get their choice of one of our 101 Kits or the downloadable version of our Refuse to Say Cheese/Beyond the Green Box DVD series. And then , and THEN (we’re hooking our Finalists up for 2009! ), they also get to choose between one of two MORE things!

1. Their own copy of Adobe’s Lightroom Software

2. Or the most unique prize ever, a copy of the newly released DVD “See the Light” by Carlos Baez! Watch the trailer by clicking the title. Carlos is not only a dear friend, but he is also a PHENOMENAL photographer who has years experience in the fashion and wedding industry and is now sharing his knowledge on lighting with the wedding and portrait world. This guy is loaded with tips and strategies on lighting. We just got our own copy of his DVD, and I can’t wait to watch it. Carlos is a master with lighting, and on top of that he has a HUGE heart for teaching people. Just watching him work with his clients is amazing. Your business can’t help but go to the next level with this new DVD. Check out his blog! To purchase Carlos’s new DVD, check out the Photography Mentor store. Retail Price for “See the Light” is $175.

Enjoy! VOTE AWAY!!!

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

To see our day job , visit here.

For more fun photo exercises, check out our popular Instructional DVDs Refuse to Say Cheese , our 101 Kits for starting or expanding a business in photography , click on the words of your choice!