March 25th, 2010
The push to go green and be eco-friendly is spreading to many major companies and small businesses as well. It is cool to be green. So, here I am, looking around my studio and wondering “are we doing enough to be an eco-friendly studio?” And if not, does it cost a ton to convert?
I took inventory and here are some of the products that we deal with on a daily basis and how we are able to do our part:
* Paper=What business doesn’t have some paper waste? We recycle our paper and even use both sides when printing docs for our files. If you haven’t done so yet, I suggest you purchase a shredder and you can use the shreds for packing. After buying recycled paper and envelopes, I read on the packages that it requires about two thirds less energy to make a ton of paper from recycled paper instead of using wood pulp from trees.
* Ink cartridges= These babies rank second in our studio for waste so we take them to a local drug store that refills them for half the price of buying new and we can use them over and over again. When they finally give up we take them to Office Depot, they give you a small store credit for all recycled ink cartridges and batteries.
* Batteries=Rechargeables are great and most can be recharged up to 1000 times before needing to be replaced. When they no longer hold enough of a charge for our cameras and flashes, we use them for clocks, radios, flashlights, etc. until they are done. Again, Office Depot will take them, they have a great recycle program.
* Unplug=What studio doesnt have chargers everywhere? Unplug the chargers and power strips when not in use
* Environmentally Friendly Products=Ask your suppliers for eco-friendly materials, the more you ask for them the more they will stock-create the ripple effect!
You don’t have to suffer to go green, just be smart about your choices and let people know what you are doing. Share your ideas with prospects and clients, introduce them to your eco-friendly products-they will respect your for it! And, the more people seek out green companies the more your name will be mentioned.
Enjoy and please share any ideas that you may have.
Tags: Photographers are eco-friendly and green, recycle
Posted in Uncategorized | 143 Comments »
January 10th, 2010
The down trend in the economy has had a major effect on the not-for-profits in 2008 and 2009 and A.W.O.L. is no exception. A weekend retreat held for women who have or have had breast cancer may have to close their retreat doors this year if the funds and grants do not become available. Under the direction of Dr. Francine Zorehkey, Ph.D, L.M.F.T. and yours truly, the retreat has operated for the last seven years offering nine retreats. Along with a fabulous staff of volunteers and workshop facilitators, A.W.O.L. offers a safe place for women to share, get pampered, create new friendships and experience some emotional breakthroughs. It would be a shame to take that away. Limited to 40 guests per weekend, A.W.O.L. continues to remain optimistic that our current fundraiser will shift the tides and create enough funds to hold one more retreat in September 2010. Francine is tireless. She has put thousands of hours into researching grants, forming committees, organizing the volunteers, processing applications and much more. She never gives up! Her passion to continue to offer this unique experience is unsurpassed only by her dedication to the women who attend.
On February 14, 2010, at the Norman P. Murray Community Service and Senior Center in Mission Viejo, our fate will be revealed. For $35.00 you can purchase tickets to see ‘Til death do us part’, an extremely funny and interactive off Broadway show featuring ‘Sister’. You can see snippets of her on YouTube. The show is from 1:30 to 3:30 and classroom participation is a must.
This is our final stand…..please help us continue with the retreats. To RSVP call 949.916.6851
Let’s make 2010 the year we celebrate our 10th retreat!
Tags: A.W.O.L. a way of life, fundraiser, Til Death do us Part, Womens retreat
Posted in Fundraiser Feb 14th | 108 Comments »
November 28th, 2009
We tend to spend more time indoors during the holiday season especially when the weather changes. Families get together more often and it is the perfect time to get everyone together for that ‘Family Portrait’. A few tips to get better shots indoors:
1. Use a faster ISO setting
Indoor lighting is somewhat dim so you will want to set your camera on a faster ISO. The higher the ISO, the more sensitive your camera is to light. ISO 400 works in a well lit room or a room with some widow light. At night, you may want to bump up the ISO. A tripod will help keep images sharp by eliminating camera shake.
2. Adjust the white balance is you are using a digital camera
Most people don’t use this feature on their cameras and tend to keep the settings on Auto White Balance. With the incandescent lights used inside, you may get a yellow or orange cast and auto white balance doesn’t always correct these warmer tones. Check your camera manual and change the while balance setting to incandescent or indoor lighting. The skin tones will come out trues to life and you will have more choices when selecting an image for your holiday card. If you really want to explore White Balance, try experimenting with the ‘K’ (Kelvin) setting on your camera starting with 4500K. If your camera does not offer this option then play around with the settings that you do have until you get the proper skin tones. Don’t forget to make note of what worked for you.
3. Experiment with the flash off
Take images both ways-with and without flash. While flash can fill in important details, it can also create harsh glares and shadows. Take advantage of natural light when you can. If you do use a flash, try softening the harsh shadows by diffusing the light by placing a tissue or thin white paper over the flash.
It is always best to hire a professional for your family portraits and events but for your everyday shots of friends and family don’t be afraid to experiment.
Have a great holiday season……..Joanna
Posted in Uncategorized | 216 Comments »
November 22nd, 2009
Portraits at Quail Gardens
For the last five years, the first weekend in November has been dedicated to photographing military families who live in housing managed by Lincoln Military Housing. A joint venture between Lincoln and Herr Photography, 110 families are scheduled over two days for portrait sessions and each family receives an 8×10 and two 5×7’s. Herr Photography donates the production time for the project spending hours mulling over fabulous images in order to narrow the selection down to the image that will be used for the package. This year, I asked my two friends and co-founders of 3 Hot Shoes, to join me. Brandy Sebastian and Jake Hesseltine shared the hours it took to photograph all the families. Thanks so much! The families are extremely appreciative and look forward to the event. Lincoln uses a lottery system to select the families and with over 2000 entering, the 110 selected are excited to be able to participate. We so thank our military men and women for their continued dedication to our country, our safety and our freedom!
Joanna
Posted in Uncategorized | 254 Comments »
September 3rd, 2009
For two weeks in July, nine women from the Women’s Global Network and Women’s Global Connection traveled through Tanzania and Zanzibar. Through the Global Business Partners program, we are linked to Bukoba as our sister city. Through member donations, WGN members invest in micro-finance programs that provide small loans to women owned businesses. We were truly inspired and in awe of the women that we met and shared experiences with. At every village we were welcomed with song, dance and open arms. The women are extremely proud of their successes and shared with us how these loans were able to change their lives and lift them from poverty. They can provide for their families and maintain a level of sustainability that was unreachable prior to the program. We plan on expanding to Ghana and Peru. We will be visiting Bukoba again in 2010. To view my images go to www.herrphotography.com Click on Client Access, Click on the Tanzania folder. Enjoy!
Tags: Women's Global Network
Posted in Celebrating Women of Africa | 161 Comments »
