There are many "assignments for pay" that serious amateurs are qualified to do -- family portraits, local events, and special celebrations, just to name a few. There are a few keys to success however. First, you must be prepared equipment-wise to meet any challenge that is thrown your way during the shoot (this includes having backup equipment). Only take assignments that are within your skills as a photographer and can be accomplished with the equipment in your bag. Next, you need to communicate clearly with the client before the shoot so their expectations are in line with yours. Then put it in writing and both parties should have a signed copy. Finally, fulfill your responsibilities in the time frame you promised.

By following these basic steps, you're on your way to a rewarding second income. I cover these concepts and more in this week's podcast.

Monthly Photo Assignment

Duotone is also this month's photo assignment. This will be a fun gallery that lets us explore new ways to tone B&W images. Hopefully this podcast will help you prepare a great entry for the assignment. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is Sept. 30.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "Side Jobs." You can download the podcast here (28 minutes). You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

The Digital Story Podcasts are available for direct download from Apple iPhones. I've created a special mobile download page here. Just load the page in Safari, browse the podcast line-up, and click on the one you want to listen to.

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our new Flickr Public Group. It's a blast!

Have you looked at the Park by the Numbers Camera Phone Project? If you have a camera phone, you've got to check this out.

Events! See the TDS Event Calendar for photography workshops, speaking engagements, and trade show appearances.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, The Digital Story

Add Magic to Your Slideshows -- FotoMagico presentations are so amazing that your audience will be asking how you did it.

Duotones and color monochromes are easier than ever to create. In this podcast, I discuss how to quickly create this look in Adobe Photoshop CS3, Apple Aperture, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, and Apple iPhoto 7.

Lightroom users who want to learn more may want to check out Angela Drury: The Lightroom Recipe Queen for her tips on creating this look using tools in the Develop module.

Monthly Photo Assignment

Duotone is also this month's photo assignment. This will be a fun gallery that lets us explore new ways to tone B&W images. Hopefully this podcast will help you prepare a great entry for the assignment. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is Sept. 30.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "Duotone." You can download the podcast here (24 minutes). You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

The Digital Story Podcasts are available for direct download from Apple iPhones. I've created a special mobile download page here. Just load the page in Safari, browse the podcast line-up, and click on the one you want to listen to.

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our new Flickr Public Group. It's a blast!

Have you looked at the Park by the Numbers Camera Phone Project? If you have a camera phone, you've got to check this out.

Events! See the TDS Event Calendar for photography workshops, speaking engagements, and trade show appearances.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, The Digital Story

Add Magic to Your Slideshows -- FotoMagico presentations are so amazing that your audience will be asking how you did it.

Raw+Jpeg might not be your default setting, but there are situations when you want to capture in both formats every time you click the shutter. One of my favorite Raw+Jpeg scenarios is when I want to use a compact printer sans computer, such as direct printing from the new HP Photosmart A626 Compact Photo Printer. You simply insert your camera's memory card into the printer, then choose the images you want to output on its LCD monitor. But this works only if you have Jpegs on the card. The printer, and other similar devices, can't read Raw files.

That doesn't meant that you should give up the advantages of Raw either. Later, when you're done printing snapshots, you may want to dig deeper into an image for large format printing and other uses. In this podcast, I discuss the times Raw+Jpeg make sense, and the times it doesn't.

Photo Caption: Do you capture moments like this in Raw, Jpeg, or both? Listen to the podcast to find out.

Monthly Photo Assignment

I also discuss this month's photo assignment, Duotone. This will be a fun gallery that lets us explore fun ways to tone B&W images. I'll be posting more about how to make duotones soon. So keep your eyes peeled. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is Sept. 31.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "Raw+Jpeg." You can download the podcast here (28 minutes). You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

The Digital Story Podcasts are available for direct download from Apple iPhones. I've created a special mobile download page here. Just load the page in Safari, browse the podcast line-up, and click on the one you want to listen to.

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our new Flickr Public Group. It's a blast!

Have you looked at the Park by the Numbers Camera Phone Project? If you have a camera phone, you've got to check this out.

Events! See the TDS Event Calendar for photography workshops, speaking engagements, and trade show appearances.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, The Digital Story

Add Magic to Your Slideshows -- FotoMagico presentations are so amazing that your audience will be asking how you did it.

Recently a reader asked for ideas to help him renew his creativity. Some of us chimed in with thoughts such as work with a different lens. But I've discovered that even a more powerful approach is to change aspect ratios. After working in 3:2 or 4:3, you'd be surprised how different the world looks in 16:9.

In this podcast I talk about using a Panasonic DMC-FZ8 in 16:9 mode, both for still files (Raw at that!) and for movies. I had a lot of fun, and it really got my creative juices flowing.

Photo of a school yard in Santa Rosa, CA shot in 16:9 with the FZ8, then cropped to 4x8 for printing in panoramic mode on a Canon CP-330 dye sub printer.

Monthly Photo Assignment

I also discuss this month's photo assignment, Intersection. Keep your eyes peeled for elements in life that bisect. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is August 31.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "16:9." You can download the podcast here (25 minutes). You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

The Digital Story Podcasts are available for direct download from Apple iPhones. I've created a special mobile download page here. Just load the page in Safari, browse the podcast line-up, and click on the one you want to listen to.

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our new Flickr Public Group. It's a blast!

Have you looked at the Park by the Numbers Camera Phone Project? If you have a camera phone, you've got to check this out.

Events! See the TDS Event Calendar for photography workshops, speaking engagements, and trade show appearances.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, The Digital Story

Add Magic to Your Slideshows -- FotoMagico presentations are so amazing that your audience will be asking how you did it.

Key steps to building your workflow include uploading, adding metadata, photo editing, image editing, output, and archiving. In this podcast, I explain how you can build your own photography workflow... with the tools you already have.

To help you along the way, you can download my 28-page workflow guide titled, I've Taken Great Pictures... Now What?. This guide is Free to TDS members!

Monthly Photo Assignment

I also discuss this month's photo assignment, Intersection. Keep your eyes peeled for elements in life that bisect. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is August 31.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "Build Your Workflow." You can download the podcast here (29 minutes). You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

The Digital Story Podcasts are available for direct download from Apple iPhones. I've created a special mobile download page here. Just load the page in Safari, browse the podcast line-up, and click on the one you want to listen to.

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our new Flickr Public Group. It's a blast!

Have you looked at the Park by the Numbers Camera Phone Project? If you have a camera phone, you've got to check this out.

Events! See the TDS Event Calendar for photography workshops, speaking engagements, and trade show appearances.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, The Digital Story

Add Magic to Your Slideshows -- FotoMagico presentations are so amazing that your audience will be asking how you did it.

One of the toughest assignments in digital photography is to shoot in harsh light, especially portraits. There are things you can do at capture stage, such as shoot Raw, use fill flash, try reflectors, and zoom in tight when possible. We also have better tools in post production, such as Highlight and Shadow recovery. In this sample comparison here, I used the Highlight Recovery slider in Aperture to bring some skin tone back to these groomsmen.

In this podcast, I talk about surviving harsh lighting conditions and recommend techniques for coming away with professional looking images.

Monthly Photo Assignment

I also discuss this month's photo assignment, Intersection. Keep your eyes peeled for elements in life that bisect. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is August 31.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "Harsh Light." You can download the podcast here (28 minutes). You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

The Digital Story Podcasts are available for direct download from Apple iPhones. I've created a special mobile download page here. Just load the page in Safari, browse the podcast line-up, and click on the one you want to listen to.

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our new Flickr Public Group. It's a blast!

Have you looked at the Park by the Numbers Camera Phone Project? If you have a camera phone, you've got to check this out.

Events! See the TDS Event Calendar for photography workshops, speaking engagements, and trade show appearances.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, The Digital Story

Add Magic to Your Slideshows -- FotoMagico presentations are so amazing that your audience will be asking how you did it.

We're often the knowledge resource that others seek when they have photography questions. But where do you start when trying to explain the basics to a novice?

In this podcast, I explain the first four things that you should teach a beginning photographer: Flash settings, ISO, white balance, and self-timer. Once a photographer understands these four tools, and knows where to find them on his or her camera, their pictures will immediately improve.

White balance settings are one of the four major topics that beginners should learn.

Monthly Photo Assignment

I also discuss this month's photo assignment, Intersection. Keep your eyes peeled for elements in life that bisect. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is August 31.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "Teaching Others." You can download the podcast here (29 minutes). You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

The Digital Story Podcasts are available for direct download from Apple iPhones. I've created a special mobile download page here. Just load the page in Safari, browse the podcast line-up, and click on the one you want to listen to.

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our new Flickr Public Group. It's a blast!

Have you looked at the Park by the Numbers Camera Phone Project? If you have a camera phone, you've got to check this out.

Events! See the TDS Event Calendar for photography workshops, speaking engagements, and trade show appearances.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, The Digital Story

Add Magic to Your Slideshows -- FotoMagico presentations are so amazing that your audience will be asking how you did it.

This is a rebroadcast of Podcast 34 originally aired on May 30, 2006. I thought you might enjoy this interview with Scott Bourne again while I'm off cooling my heals on vacation. I'll be back with a new podcast next week. Until then, here are some great shooting tips...

You can learn time-tested shooting techniques that will make you a better photographer. The challenge is, remembering them while you're actually taking pictures. This week, I sit down with ace photographer, Scott Bourne, to find out how he captures everything from stunning bird portraits to bridal bliss. Scott uses clever acronyms such as EDFAT to mentally organize his compositional techniques. In this interview he reveals all so you can start using these tips today.

Scott has also provided a link to an article on EDFAT, which stands for Entire, Details, Frame, Angles, and Time. EDFAT is a method that allows you to fine-tune your photographic vision. It really makes sense once you read the article and listen to Scott discuss it.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's rebroadcasted audio show titled, "Killer Shooting Tips with Scott Bourne." You can download the podcast here (22 minutes).

The Digital Story Podcasts are available for direct download from Apple iPhones. I've created a special mobile download page here. Just load the page in Safari, browse the podcast line-up, and click on the one you want to listen to.

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our new Flickr Public Group. It's a blast!

Have you looked at the Park by the Numbers Camera Phone Project? If you have a camera phone, you've got to check this out.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, The Digital Story

Add Magic to Your Slideshows -- FotoMagico presentations are so amazing that your audience will be asking how you did it.

Pop Photo's Digital Days is a two-day event that brings amateur photographers together to learn new techniques and share experiences. The workshop travels from city to city in the US, with next stops in Seattle, Philadelphia, Chicago, and New Jersey. I was a guest speaker at the recent San Francisco event, and I talk about my positive experiences in this show. If you're looking to get together with other photographers to learn new techniques, then I recommend that you look at this tour. The entire weekend costs just $139, and that includes lunches and lots of goodies.

Event coordinator Phil Mistry working with models and attendees at the San Francisco Digital Days event. Photo by Derrick Story.

In this podcast, I also follow up with Colleen Wheeler to find out how her packing worked out for her trip to Ireland. Colleen reports on her experiences from that trip, including the family reunion.

Monthly Photo Assignment

I also discuss this month's photo assignment, Pattern. Keep your eyes peeled for the patterns that are all around us. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is July 31.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "Digital Days." You can download the podcast here (28 minutes). You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

The Digital Story Podcasts are available for direct download from Apple iPhones. I've created a special mobile download page here. Just load the page in Safari, browse the podcast line-up, and click on the one you want to listen to.

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our new Flickr Public Group. It's a blast!

Have you looked at the Park by the Numbers Camera Phone Project? If you have a camera phone, you've got to check this out.

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, The Digital Story

Add Magic to Your Slideshows -- FotoMagico presentations are so amazing that your audience will be asking how you did it.

The recent Microsoft Pro Photo Summit in Redmond, WA featured many panel discussions on the business of professional photography today. Among the discussions, some of the most interesting involved copyright protection for photographers and the new "orphaned works" legislation proposed by Congress.

In this podcast, I discuss my impressions and some of the highlights from the Summit, including a little background on Orphan Works.

Photo of David Trust, PPA CEO speaking at the Microsoft Pro Photo Summit by Derrick Story

Monthly Photo Assignment

I also discuss this month's photo assignment, Pattern. Keep your eyes peeled for the patterns that are all around us. You can read more about how to submit on our Submissions page. Deadline for entry is July 31.

Listen to the Podcast

Now that I've piqued your curiosity, it's time to listen to today's audio show titled, "Orphan Works and Notes from the MS Photo Summit." You can download the podcast here (28 minutes). You can also subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

The Digital Story Podcasts are also available for direct download from Apple iPhones. I've created a special mobile download page here.

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our new Flickr Public Group. It's a blast!

Have you looked at the Park by the Numbers Camera Phone Project? If you have a camera phone, you've got to check this out!

Technorati Tags: digital photography, podcast, The Digital Story

Add Magic to Your Slideshows -- FotoMagico presentations are so amazing that your audience will be asking how you did it.