Silverlake Photo Accessories Sponsoring a chance to win a 10x20 BACKDROP ON THE PIF BLOG!

We are celebrating hitting over 50,000 visits on the blog, and what better way to do that with Silverlake Photo Accessories, they are hooking one PIF reader a chance to win a free 10x20 backdrop (valued at $269.00 buckeroos folks).

Here's the rules:

Take a picture saying Silverlake and PIF Rocks, email it to contestpifphoto@gmail.com

Do something fun and unique.

Please include your name, address and email.

Contest ends next weds. Sept 5th at midnight.

Please note: This win does not include scenic and abstracts backdrops.

Link to Silverlake: http://www.silverlakephoto.com/home.php

Silverlake Mismatch sale: http://www.silverlakephoto.com/10x12-s-c-312.html

Another thing they are doing, they do monthly specials: For the PIF readers, here are some rocking codes from Travis at Silverlake,

This months special design choices will be Sweet Apple, Mocha Marble, and Ebony. As PIF Readers who love Silverlake, you will be entitled to purchase any of these painted designs for a deeply discounted $149.00 plus shipping. If you wish to purchase more than one, you need to make separate orders for each background as our shopping cart will only accept one coupon per order. Make sure that you select the 10x20 size from the drop down.

Below are links to images of the backgrounds and the special code you will need to enter into the shopping cart.

Sweet Apple 10x20 - $149.00 code = apple special

Mocha Marble 10x20 - $149.00 code = mocha special

Ebony 10x20 - $149.00 code = ebony special

All you need to do is go to http://www.silverlakephoto.com/, choose one of the above color and sizes then in the coupon box put the above code.If you have any problems with placing your order, don't hesitate to give us a call.The hand painted Backgrounds will be shipped within 2-3 weeks. The backgrounds will be shipped in the same order that the orders are placed. If you have a specific shoot coming up, please let us know and we will do what we can to accommodate your schedule.Thank you for your continued support!Ordering starts today, Aug 21st and goes til Wed, Sept 5th ENJOY!!(We extended the dates a little to compensate for the upcoming holiday weekend.)

Tomorrow is going to be a big deal

and I mean BIG. WE have been so busy with work. So tomorrow we get a chance to get down and boogy on the blog. Cause its CONTEST DAY TOMORROW!
You do not want to miss this one.

Hint: its tall and long :o)

and I forgot to add, we have a bazillion things to post on the blog, so any spare moment, we will get the PIF gifts on here. Thank yous to everybody, and special shout out to all our PIF readers!!!

Andrea, submission Baby Magazine Cover STYLE!

How cute is this!!!

Link to download: Click here

*Thank you to Andrea for this ADORABLE submission-pifblogger

We will be using Filebuffer as our download file transfer

We are in talks of using them exclusivly, they are currently for sale, once we hear feedback from the new owners (whenever that will be), we should be good to go.

If you send pif gifts, send via filebuffer http://www.filebuffer.org/index.php

Thank you to all for your feedback, we now should have no tech or inappropriate advertising issues.

-PIF Blogger

Please send your ideas to help the PIF blog on file transfer

We are in need of a better way to do downloads. We have been using gigasize and various others, and we receive many emails on tech issues with gigasize. We can't possibly assist so many emails and we ask to please contact gigasize for tech assistance.
http://www.gigasize.com/receive_suggestion.php
support@gigasize.com

Furthermore, if any of our wonderful PIF readers could send us some advice on a better file transfer website for downloads to avoid the tech issues we get with gigasize that would be greatly appreciated and would make posting blogs , interviews, along with the downloads much easier.

Please send link to download site to pifphoto@gmail.com

Until then, we have tons of stuff to post, but we have concerns our readers and donaters will not be able to download.

Thank you for your assistance, look forward to hearing your ideas.
-PIF Blogger

Renee, Paying it forward Action style!!

Your name?
Renee: Renee Oakenfull

How long have you been in business?

Renee: I dipped my toe in the business pool at the beginning of this year.

What is the best advice (Pay It Forward Style) you could give a photographer starting out in the business?
Renee: Hmm... I would say confidence. You have to have confidence in your own work. If you don't, you can't expect your clients to.


What is something you have learned in the past that you carry with you to the present?
Renee: Don't sweat the small stuff.

One thing you just CANT live without?
Renee: Red Bull and my computer. I know, that's two. I'm a cheat.

Your favorite quote?
Renee: "Well behaved women rarely make history"


Wildest Craziest Thing you have done?
Renee: Gave birth to four children in six years!


Who is your hero?
Renee: My husband. He is everything to me and more...

Tell us a little bit aboutyour actions http://reneeoakenfull.typepad.com/extras/ ?

Renee: I have 3 action sets as well as some funky grunge borders.They are customizable of course, so it's easy to add your own twist. I'm thrilled to be able to offer Elements users the actions. As a bonus, you get to listen to my fab (ha!) Aussie accent in the video tutorials that come with them.

Links to All of Renee's cool stuff:

Renee Oakenfull Photography {blog}
Renee Oakenfull Extras {actions & stuff}

Link to download some of her actions: Click here

I've put together a mini action set just for the Pay It Forward blog. There's 1 action from each of my available sets.Botox Brush - great for taking 10 years off Glow - perfect finish to any photoScent of Sepia - a rich chocolate conversion that gives you those sepia tones.

*Thank you to Renee for the rocking actions!!!! -pif blogger

Amy, paying it forward, web action style

"It's one I created that I use all the time for adding borders to the photos I post on the web. It's a simple triple border that uses the colors selected in your foreground and background swatches and then reduces the photo to 72 dpi.

Amy "

Link to download: Click here

To Amy: Thank you for this awesome action and PIF to the blog! -pif blogger

The Big Wammy, Arya giving in a HUGE way.

"Here are a few more of my templates that I would liketo share with PIF. Enjoy!Arya"

Links to download all of these awesome templates from Arya:

http://www.yourfilehost.com/media.php?cat=other&file=4x10Arya.zip

http://www.yourfilehost.com/media.php?cat=other&file=5x7Arya.zip

http://www.yourfilehost.com/media.php?cat=other&file=5x15Arya.zip

http://www.yourfilehost.com/media.php?cat=other&file=10x20Arya.zip

http://www.yourfilehost.com/media.php?cat=other&file=16x20_Arya.zip

http://www.yourfilehost.com/media.php?cat=other&file=SquareArya.zip

To Arya: We cant thank you enough for your HUGE generosity, thank you soooooo much, YOU ROCK! -pif blogger

Jessica Dittmer with Midnight Hour Designs....

Your name?
Jessica: Jessica Dittmer

How long have you been in business?
Jessica: Studio has been in business for 4 years

What is the best advice (Pay It Forward Style) you could give a photographer starting out in the business?
Jessica: Be hands on...you can read about how to do something but until you do it and work on it and experiment and aren't afraid to make mistakes you won't learn. Also, try not to spend more than you need to. Purchase what you can afford or if using a credit card pay it back off immediately. Save for more investments like high quality lenses, backdrops,etc...that will be items you'll keep.

What is something you have learned in the past that you carry with you to the present?
Jessica: Don't spend money you don't have.

One thing you just CANT live without?
Jessica: My Hasselblad Camera-completely manual in every way and film and it is truly my most prized camera. It belonged to my grandfather and I have a strong connection with it. Shooting with it and then going in the bathroom to process my film is one of my favorite things to do.

Your favorite quote?
Jessica: It's never too late to be what you might have been.

Wildest Craziest Thing you have done?
Jessica: Swimming in my underwear in this beautiful river in France (I was 16) there were many others there too swimming on that hot day...it was so fun!

Who is your hero?
Jessica: Well someone I much admire for their creativity and their accomplishments in a path that I hope to follow would be Mary Engelbreit. I have an ad coming out for Wish You Wells in the new Oct./Nov. issue of her magazine Home Companion and I'm thrilled!


Tell us a little bit about your midnighthourdesign?
Jessica: Well it was just over a year ago that I decided I'd like to make some blends and was enjoying the idea of what they were used for and how each could be so unique. So, I tried to make one and did. I then thought it would be a nice card background so I made cards...then book templates, then borders, and it just snowballed from there. I advertise on several photography forums and contribute free templates often as well. I've been trying to do more tutorials lately for people too. I'm working on a brand new website that is an e-commerce storefront and everything will be easier to order. I keep busy between the studio, midnight hour design and wish you wells art. Just over a year and wow...a lot can happen in a year!

Jessica donated to the blog earlier, but we just had to interview her as well, she is a giving soul:
Link to Jessicas earlier donation, shabby texture:
http://payitforwardphoto.blogspot.com/2007/07/texture-texture-read-all-about-it.html

Links to all jessicas awesome stuff:
http://www.midnighthourdesign.com/
http://www.jessicadittmerphotography.com/
http://www.wishyouwellsonline.com/

Eddy Gurney from StudioZap!!!

Your name?
Eddy: Eddy Gurney

How long have you been in business?
Eddy: I started doing photography as a business in 2004. Prior to that, I was really active in a weekly online photo contest site (no prizes, just bragging rights) called DPChallenge. That site really helped me learn a lot about digital photography and become confident with my camera. In 2006, I launched StudioZap, based on requests from other photographers who were interested in the tools I developed for my own use. I polished them up to make them easier for people to use
and launched the web site.



What is the best advice (Pay It Forward Style) you could give a photographer starting out in the business?
Eddy: Pick a target market and get really good at it before moving on
to another type of photography. I see too many people starting out who
try to photograph "everything". Different types of photography require
different skill sets, and it is harder to acquire those specialized
skills when you are always having to switch up your way of thinking.
Doing little league sports, then babies, then weddings, then families
and then kids can be challenging because they all have subtle nuances
that you need to understand to be really good. The other thing I
(thankfully) learned early on was to invest in good (read: expensive!)
lenses. Camera bodies may come and go as technology marches on, but
good lenses will last you a long time -- and help produce great
images! In my opinion lenses are the most important part of a camera.
By purchasing good lenses from the start, you won't be wasting money
when you replace "starter" lenses. I'd rather shoot with an
inexpensive body and fantastic glass rather than the other way around
any day!

What is something you have learned in the past that you carry with you
to the present?
Eddy: Somebody once told me that we are all enrolled in a full-time
school called "life". Every day, we have an opportunity to learn what
we need to know... but the lessons presented are often completely
different from what we think we need.

One thing you just CAN'T live without?
Eddy: The internet! I am an information junkie and love to learn. I
spend as much free time as I can on various photography forums
learning and getting inspired by all the awesome work that is out
there.

Your favorite quote?
Eddy: It's from John Charles Salak: "Failures are divided in to two
classes: those who thought and never did, and those who did and never
thought." There's just something about it that I like on many levels.

What are you listening to right now?
Eddy: A client recently brought along a bunch of music by Relient K to
her photo shoot. I really liked it, so I bought some of their
albums off iTunes and have been listening to them a lot! They are
categorized as "Alternative Contemporary Christian Music"... a lot
like alternative pop, but lyrically there are sometimes religious
themes.

Who is your hero?
Eddy: Hmm... that's a tough one! A hero can be a lot of things. How
about my photography hero? In that case I'd have to give you two. The
first would be Ron Kramer. He was my first big inspiration when I
decided I wanted to learn how to take good pictures of people, and
he still continues to inspire me today. The second would be Fuzzy Duenkel.
I am always impressed with his work,and how he is always pushing himself
as a "craftsman". The fact that he does most of his work with natural
light at locations that he's never been to before is just amazing to me.

Tell us a little bit about your Photoshop tools, StudioZap?
Eddy: As I mentioned before, StudioZap came about after some
photographer friends saw what I was doing for my custom proofbooks and
they wanted to be able to do the same thing. So I added a nice user
interface to my tools and created the StudioZap web site. The
"powerhouse" tool is called "Proofs & Prints", and it is the ultimate
Photoshop template system. Once you've created a template, P&P will
automatically populate the template -- no more manually inserting,
resizing, cropping and positioning pictures manually! It's a huge time
saver for making great-looking for proofbooks and for creating all those
multi-image print products for clients. The suite also includes
"Guide Wizard" (it rocks!), "Albums & Collages" (for easy freestyle
album layouts) and "Eazy Mats" (easy and realistic digital mats.)
The template library has some great templates, and you can create a
product like this in a few seconds:

Right now, the tools only work on Windows, but a Mac version is under
development and coming along nicely.
If any PIF readers are interested in the StudioZap Suite, they can enter the promo code "PIF15%off" to save 15% off the regular price.
Anything else?
Eddy: I've always liked the look of gallery-wrapped canvas prints. Clients
like it too, but they often have a hard time visualizing what the "wrap"
will look like. So I came up with a Photoshop action that visually
simulates a wrap, and am sharing it with PIF readers. Just open a file that
is prepared just like you were going to submit it and run the action and
it will wrap the image for you. It's also a great way to preview your
gallery wrap before you finalize your order!

Link to download Gallery Wrap Action by Studio Zap: Click Here

Links to all Studiozaps cool stuff: http://www.studiozap.com/

Our many thanks to Eddy at Studiozap for that awesome discount code and gallerywrap action, wow wow wow!! -pif blogger

This is from Linda, Sweet on you TODAY!!

Heres her email, soooooooooo sweet and thank you Linda!!

"I love to give stuff, I do often on ILP and someone there shared your blog with me. I am including some actions and a template to be used for the 3x3 mini accordians by JLEE albums. Thanks. God Bless,Linda"

Link to download actions: Click Here

Link to download template: Click Here

Link to sweetonyou: http://www.sweetonyouphotography.com

Senior Template from TRISHA!!!

Link to download this awesome template: Click Here

Trisha says you can change the hue and saturation on this one and its some WILD colors!

Thank you to Trisha for this awesome senior template!! -pifblogger

UPDATE: LINK TO DOWNLOAD SHOULD WORK NOW

Chelsey d. Roberts , YOU WON!!!

Please email me so that I can send you your code. Congrats to you! There was someone else posting very close behind you, LOL.

pifphoto@gmail.com

Flashpalette Website for ONE DOLLAR!!

FREE Mini 01 Plain interface (value of $66).

The first person to post a comment on this contest, wins it.
You have to pay one dollar to finish the checkout process for the Mini 01 Plain Interface along with a special code for the winner that PIF Blogger will email you the code. Its all about Number One.

These websites from flashpalette are AWESOME!

Party TIME!!!!!!

*Thank you to Yong at Flashpalette for the awesome contest, YOU ROCK! -Pif blogger

Their Customer Service ROCKS, Flashpalette Website Design!!

Your name?
Yong: Yongtong Hu

How long have you been in business?
Yong: About one year.

What is the best advice (Pay It Forward Style) you could give a photographer starting out in the business?
Yong: Setup a website as soon as you have good portfolio photos. Show the images in big size, and remember to test the contact form. Oh, make sure you can update the content yourself (rather than relying on your hubby or buddy).

What is something you have learned in the past that you carry with you to the present?
Yong: Good customer support is the best marketing tool.

One thing you just CANT live without?
Yong: A camera good for available light. There is a Fuji F10 P&S camera lives in my pocket. If we go to downtown in the evening, I always bring my old faithful Canon 20D, with the amazing 85/1.2 II L lens.

Your favorite quote?
Yong: "Just Do It."

Wildest Craziest Thing you have done?
Yong: When I was a poor college student, there were several months that my telephone bills are over $500 (more than half of my monthly income); they are mainly for long distance calls with my girl friend. She finally moved to the same city, and later married me. :) Now being a husband and father of young kids, I stay away from any crazy things.

Who is your hero?
Yong: Michael Jordan.

Tell us a little bit about your company http://flashpalette.com/ ?
Yong: FlashPalette is specialized in making website template for photographers. The unique feature of our templates is that each comes with a dedicated editor. It can be used to create portfolio galleries, adding text pages, changing all soft of colors and managing your client proofing. The editors are all free to try. You can build a full website even before making the payment. The license code only removes the 'trail version' stamp.

Lots of research and design effort has been put so that photographers can give their websites very unique styles. Check out the websites in this client gallery page ( http://www.flashpalette.com/Samples/FlashpaletteMini01A/rebate/clientgallery.html), they are all created from the same FlashPalette Mini 01A.

Other interesting things you will not find from other template companies are: limited copes per state (04A and above), big monitor support (template 08A, http://www.flashpalette.com/Samples/Flashpalette08A/), hosting website on any server.

I am very proud of our talented website designers and flash programmers. It is a small team, but we keep making magic things happen.

And you know us at PIF, its SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO NOT over, Flashpalette is doing a contest with PIF.

Details to come *wink* *wink* :o)

Contest day!!!!

We have been so crazy busy, we were supposed to post this contest on friday, but life and business got hectic. SOOOOOOOoo with that said, Monday is contest day, we will post the contest and interview later this evening. Lets just say if you been dreaming of a customizable website, your dream may just come true. *wink* *wink*

YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS THIS ONE!

:o)

Nicole's boots are made for walking, WINNER of the Business Bootcamp with SKYE HARDWICK

Your name?
Nicole Ryan Pitts

How long have you been in business? I went official 1 year ago

What is the best advice (Pay It Forward Style) you could give a photographer starting out in the business?
Take your time to get all of your things together.. think about every detail from forms to packaging.. When you get busy you won't have time to sit and do those things.

What is something you have learned in the past that you carry with you to the present?
Patience.. everything comes in time.. when the time is right

One thing you just CANT live without?
besides my camera? my laptop..some days it is my only lifeline to the outside world.

Your favorite quote?
Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways on your horse, Champagne in one hand - strawberries in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming WOO HOO - What a Ride!"

Wildest Craziest Thing you have done?
Never been super crazy I was always the careful child, But somehow got talked into freakin bungee jumping off an 8 story building once.. yea.. that will never happen again!

Who is your hero?
Has to be my mom. She somehow managed to pull, scrape and, claw herself from nothing into a very successful business woman all while keeping her dignity and grace. She taught me humility and respect for those who work hard to make their dreams reality. I never knew we didn't have it all.. I hope one day I will be a least half the woman she is.


Her winning entry: Nicole get those boots ready, your going to Skye Hardwicks Business Bootcamp!!! Link to Business Bootcamp: Click here

Congrats to you Nicole, and thank you to all those that entered!! -PIF Blogger

Another template from Kristin!!

10x30 storyboard, click on picture to get bigger example.

Link to download: Click here

Thank you again to Kristin for her contribution to the PIF blog!! -pif blogger

Who doesnt love chocolate??? Chocolate Action that is, WITH HEATHER!!

Isnt this conversion YUMMY??!!!!
Link to download: Click here

Here is Heathers Actions Link: Link Here

Thank you to Heather for PIF on the blog, LOVING THE CHOCOLATE!!

We got a winner for Business Bootcamp with Skye Hardwick

That will be announced shortly. Thank you to all that entered and all the *amazing* entries!!!!