"It's not the time to be fearful it's the time to be full of courage."
Shared with me by my friend and former client Heather Walsh after she heard it last weekend... good advice!
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Friday, June 11, 2010
Competitions for Young People
Know anyone from 11-25 years old? Great photo competition: click here.
Mona illustrates Music Video
Mona Shafer Edwards illustrated a video for The Airborne Toxic Event - the song is based on the events surrounding the death of Neda Agha-Soltan, the Iranian student who has become an honored symbol of Human Rights.
The one year anniversary of Neda's death is approaching ans we're looking to raise awareness with the help of Amnesty International and you we can create change! Mona was honored to be involved with this project and grateful to be included in this world-wide event.
I AM NEDA
Watch Video
The one year anniversary of Neda's death is approaching ans we're looking to raise awareness with the help of Amnesty International and you we can create change! Mona was honored to be involved with this project and grateful to be included in this world-wide event.
I AM NEDA
Watch Video
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Power of Dreams
Honda will activate its sponsorship at the corporate level under its "Power of Dreams" platform. The effort, extending the "Dream the Impossible" via Honda's creative agency, Santa Monica-based RPA, includes its own documentary about engineers who work in the automaker's vehicle development system.
It includes people like race driver Danica Patrick, film director Christopher Guest, Tony Hawk, film director Clive Barker and renowned leader in mind-body medicine Dr. Deepak Chopra. The latest short documentary installment will be shown during this autumn's debut of "Great Migrations."
Honda says it will also get marketing space through National Geographic's brand extensions on the Web through mobile channels, video on demand, home video, licensed products, educational outreach, and consumer events.
Honda has produced six "Dream" videos, all of them at Dreams.Honda.com.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
How To Select a Consultant
You’ve reached a point in your career where you need some assistance in refining your direction? Edited and re-edited your portfolio… Postponed creating a marketing plan … Thinking about changing your creative direction, struggling with your vision. Where are you now? Where do you want to go/be? How are you going to get there? How badly do you want to get there? Hiring a Consultant may be your best most effective solution.
The Consultant’s job, as an advisor, is to identify opportunities, problems and recommend strategies to improve your business offering a fresh, unbiased view of your organization. A Consultant should provide an independent perspective, knowledge and judgment developed from hands-on experience. Their role is to supplement your knowledge so you can make better, more informed decisions.
The Process For Selecting a Consultant is Made up of 4 Major Steps:
Step 1
Define how you see the Consultant role. Know your target goals and available budget. Consultants generally fall into broad categories: Operational – focus on the business side of your company; Creative – focus on building, fine tuning and editing your portfolio; Strategic – focus on defining your market and creating action and marketing plans.
Prepare a written description of the scope of the work, defining the problems. Spend time outlining the issues you want help with. Identifying the scope of the work needed will help narrow the list of possible candidates. Be clear about why you are looking for a Consultant and what you want the Consultant to assist you with. Be specific about what you want the Consultant to do. What is the Consultant’s special area of expertise? Does it match what you want them to do for you? What is the Consultant’s knowledge of the industry?
Step 2
Assemble a list of possible candidates. Ask people you respect for the name of a Consultant they trust. Find out what they experienced in working with their Consultant and how they were helped. Look most carefully at Consultants that have worked with photographers you respect. You are looking for familiarity with the issues you need assistance with and “fit”. That is, do you think you will work well together? Your gut instinct on fit is probably correct, so don’t deny it.
The Screening Process Contact the Consultants that look promising based on recommendations of your colleagues. Start with an exploratory phone call.
Step 3
Make direct inquiries with prepared list of questions.
Inquire about:
Notice whether he or she:
Step 4
Check references. Ask candidates to give you 3-5 names of past clients for whom they have done similar work. Then call the clients and ask how satisfied they were with the Consultant. The best question you can ask is, “Would you hire this person again?” Specifically ask what the Consultant did for the client. Was the Consultant’s work the same work you want the Consultant to do for you? If it matches, the client can provide valuable info about the Consultant’s work.
Once selection is made
Great care should be exercised when choosing a Consultant. The chemistry must be right. Take the initiative and stay involved, discuss your needs, problems, and parameters in candid terms from the start. They are not a substitute for your responsibility. The ultimate decision-making and approval stays with you. Don’t abdicate decision-making to the Consultant. Set a budget and/or schedule upfront.
Most Consultants agree that restructuring involves two phases: a design phase, in which new ways of doing work are produced, and an implementation phase, in which the new ways of doing work actually are put in place. Avoid misunderstandings, request a letter of agreement determining the length of your association alongside the fee, as well as what services you expect.
Finally, say thank you to all the candidates for their time and effort. Be gracious to those you do not select – you may need them in the future. If the Consultant you select was referred to you, thank the person who made the referral.
“You have to find something that you love enough to be able to take risks, jump over the hurdles and break through the brick walls that are always going to be placed in front of you. If you don’t have that kind of feeling for what it is you are doing, you’ll stop at the first giant hurdle.” -- George Lucas
Angela Krass is the founder of fotoprojx.com.
The Consultant’s job, as an advisor, is to identify opportunities, problems and recommend strategies to improve your business offering a fresh, unbiased view of your organization. A Consultant should provide an independent perspective, knowledge and judgment developed from hands-on experience. Their role is to supplement your knowledge so you can make better, more informed decisions.
The Process For Selecting a Consultant is Made up of 4 Major Steps:
Step 1
Define how you see the Consultant role. Know your target goals and available budget. Consultants generally fall into broad categories: Operational – focus on the business side of your company; Creative – focus on building, fine tuning and editing your portfolio; Strategic – focus on defining your market and creating action and marketing plans.
Prepare a written description of the scope of the work, defining the problems. Spend time outlining the issues you want help with. Identifying the scope of the work needed will help narrow the list of possible candidates. Be clear about why you are looking for a Consultant and what you want the Consultant to assist you with. Be specific about what you want the Consultant to do. What is the Consultant’s special area of expertise? Does it match what you want them to do for you? What is the Consultant’s knowledge of the industry?
Step 2
Assemble a list of possible candidates. Ask people you respect for the name of a Consultant they trust. Find out what they experienced in working with their Consultant and how they were helped. Look most carefully at Consultants that have worked with photographers you respect. You are looking for familiarity with the issues you need assistance with and “fit”. That is, do you think you will work well together? Your gut instinct on fit is probably correct, so don’t deny it.
The Screening Process Contact the Consultants that look promising based on recommendations of your colleagues. Start with an exploratory phone call.
Step 3
Make direct inquiries with prepared list of questions.
Inquire about:
- if consultant is interested in working with you
- availability and schedule
- qualifications and past relevant experience
- key skills and approach
- fees
- a pre-meeting before deciding whether to hire the consultant - is there a charge for this meeting?
Notice whether he or she:
- is a clear and direct communicator
- seems genuinely interested in you and your situation
- listens to you and understands what you are saying
- talks more about you and your needs rather than himself or herself
- is positive, confident and pragmatic
Step 4
Check references. Ask candidates to give you 3-5 names of past clients for whom they have done similar work. Then call the clients and ask how satisfied they were with the Consultant. The best question you can ask is, “Would you hire this person again?” Specifically ask what the Consultant did for the client. Was the Consultant’s work the same work you want the Consultant to do for you? If it matches, the client can provide valuable info about the Consultant’s work.
Once selection is made
Great care should be exercised when choosing a Consultant. The chemistry must be right. Take the initiative and stay involved, discuss your needs, problems, and parameters in candid terms from the start. They are not a substitute for your responsibility. The ultimate decision-making and approval stays with you. Don’t abdicate decision-making to the Consultant. Set a budget and/or schedule upfront.
Most Consultants agree that restructuring involves two phases: a design phase, in which new ways of doing work are produced, and an implementation phase, in which the new ways of doing work actually are put in place. Avoid misunderstandings, request a letter of agreement determining the length of your association alongside the fee, as well as what services you expect.
Finally, say thank you to all the candidates for their time and effort. Be gracious to those you do not select – you may need them in the future. If the Consultant you select was referred to you, thank the person who made the referral.
“You have to find something that you love enough to be able to take risks, jump over the hurdles and break through the brick walls that are always going to be placed in front of you. If you don’t have that kind of feeling for what it is you are doing, you’ll stop at the first giant hurdle.” -- George Lucas
Angela Krass is the founder of fotoprojx.com.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Home page?
Everyone’s home page is not located on their website, it’s actually Google. We go there for reputational searches and for social search looking for info, content on blogs, twitter, etc.
This is about perception and it’s vital to build your brand/presence in all relative networks. Controlling and optimizing your visibility is smart business and intelligent branding – building credibility. Here is a democratic opportunity to be garnered.
Networked relationships via social relationships, sharing quality content and connecting that to your website is the goal. More and more inquiries are coming from inside online communities. Example – the latest news spreads quicker and is available faster via Twitter than Google news.
Compile a list of keywords, phrases that truthfully reflect how people speak and search, are unique and don’t have a lot of competition (Ex: photography or art) and generate search volume. Once you have compiled a strong list of keywords incorporate them into press releases, emailers, your website, your blog. Highlight keywords up front in a press release – they become “tags”.
Content and relationships are what social networking appealing. Utilize all methods to polish your brand.
For further info: Angela Krass - founder www.fotoprojx.com
This is about perception and it’s vital to build your brand/presence in all relative networks. Controlling and optimizing your visibility is smart business and intelligent branding – building credibility. Here is a democratic opportunity to be garnered.
Networked relationships via social relationships, sharing quality content and connecting that to your website is the goal. More and more inquiries are coming from inside online communities. Example – the latest news spreads quicker and is available faster via Twitter than Google news.
Compile a list of keywords, phrases that truthfully reflect how people speak and search, are unique and don’t have a lot of competition (Ex: photography or art) and generate search volume. Once you have compiled a strong list of keywords incorporate them into press releases, emailers, your website, your blog. Highlight keywords up front in a press release – they become “tags”.
Content and relationships are what social networking appealing. Utilize all methods to polish your brand.
For further info: Angela Krass - founder www.fotoprojx.com
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