Out of the Dark of Night

IMG_6618.JPG, originally uploaded by cinda marie.

Happy Halloween to all.....

Today is a celebration of the evening and how did this all get started? It started in Europe many, many years ago All Saint's Day and actually was celebration of the Saints that passed on from this world to the greater world the past year. Today the church celebrates the day as a memorial to those that have pasted during the past year. People would try to ward off evil spirits and that is how the costumes became a part of what is now called Halloween.
I think that the best part of this day is to watch the small children come to my door, dressed as some cartoon character or scary witch with the fearful look on their face looking for a treat. Once they discover how this all works they soon run from house to house and hate for it to come to an end..

PACKAGING YOUR PHOTOS FOR SALE
You may ask if I'm interested in selling my Photos to others what is the best way to present them..

First, print the photos at a professional lab on archival products, this is products that will with stand the problem of time. Spare no cost this makes a big difference on the out come of your product. A great selling point.

Second, do not touch your photos without wearing cotton gloves or at least plastic gloves. The oils on your hands damage the photos. They appear to be used Photographs if they have finger prints on them. Remember

Third, buy Acid Free Foam Core Board for backing and Acid Free Sleeve Bags to package your Photos. The Foam Core Board should be 1/8" larger that the photograph so that the corners don't get crushed. When cutting the Foam Core Board make sure that your cutting is straight and clean. It makes a difference to be professional.

You can search the internet to find the best price on these products, some of the places that I have found are FramerIsland.com for the Foam Core Board and Bagsunlimited.com for the Acid Free Sleeves.

Have a Happy and Safe Halloween.... Boo!

Fire and Flora in the Fall 2008

Fire and Flora in the Fall 2008, originally uploaded by cinda marie.

The last rose standing, fall is here and the Lake Harriet Rose Gardens are beginning to show the wear of the cold weather. As each petal falls we are reminded that another year is coming to a close.

We tell ourselves of the bitter-sweet year... watching the most unusual Presidential Campaign which looks a great deal like a mid-day drama on TV, thinking of how my 401k has almost vaporized before my very eyes and last but not least the new path that I dared to take. Like this rose we must show our most beautiful side and hold on as long as we can to that most perfect show.

Would you like to start a photography business? Just do it. It is very simple to get started. First, take some fabulous pictures and learn everything you can about your camera and equipment. Take the time to do a lot of research and take classes of the correct way to take pictures. Pal around with people that have the same interest in Photography. Define your talent and find your venue or theme. Start to enter contests and get some feed back on your work. Join some local Art Guilds and Clubs, get into the network of the Art Industry and make some contacts. Take a chance.

Find some local Cafes, Public Buildings, and shops that will hang your photographs to sell. Make sure that the are fairly large pieces so they do not get up and walk away. Start a Blog and an on line gallery web site to show case your photos.

These are the steps that I took to start...Research on the internet and select a name for your photo business. Make your name a TRADE NAME with your Secretary of State. Get some business cards, open a business checking account with your bank and get a business credit card. Check with your state to see what the retail tax laws are. You may have to get a State Transaction Tax Liccense and City Vendor License.

I hope this helps to get you started... Best of Luck to you.....

Fire and Flora in the Fall 2008

Fire and Flora in the Fall 2008, originally uploaded by cinda marie.

Hello,
I'm back after an extended trip to the north country. The colors were wonderful. I only wish that the desert had this rage of color in the fall. I took a trip along the Mississippi River to see some fall colors. I may have been a week or two late but was able to snap a few great shots.

This week I went to a class on Marketing my Photography and ART from the local Community College. I did learn a great deal and would like to share with you some thoughts from the class.

First, find a common theme for your photography or art work, become an expert at it, it may be BW, Macro, a picture theme or style. This will define you as an artist.

Second, build yourself a resume; education, experience, awards of your work and participation of Festivals or shows.

Third, research Galleries to see where your art will fit in best, same style or media.

Create a packet showing your work. The packet should include: a DVD Power Point of 5-7 pieces of your work (make sure that the picture is perfect) giving noted details of each piece, a resume, your business card, a printed picture or post card and a self address envelope (so your packet can be returned when they have reviewed it). Sometimes Galleries require slide shots of your work, this is part of your research before you start what the Gallery requirements are.

Your goal should be to have 10 packets out at all times.

These are some quick ideas on how to get started.... Good luck!

Palace of the Prince Monaco

Paris, Nice, France 2006, originally uploaded by cinda marie.

Bonjour...
This is a picture of the Prince's Palace in Monaco. I love the patina of this picture, the long great walkway and the red carpet. Royality , leaders, and greatness must walked on this street centuries ago. The decayed walls just speak to me and leads me to think about the grandor that paraded this arch. What happened here? Was there a war? A stand off? Did the carriages of great men and woman of the time make their way to the Palace for an important event? A Royal Wedding or a Ball?

A picture can tell a story or it can make you think of one. A picture can bring back memories or mark history. Taking pictures puts the day, event or happening into your personal history. I would like to encourage everyone to pick up a camera and mark this historic day.

The stock market is lower today that any other day since 2004. If you listen to the news we are going to have financial ruin. I choose to think that we are heading to better days. This may just be a wake up call as to looking at the important things in life.Now is the time to put your agenda in order. Think about how we have been blessed with prosperity, health and happiness. I believe good things will happen because of this side step.

Make great things happen.... make history.

The Louvre Paris France

Paris, Nice, France 2006, originally uploaded by cinda marie.

What is with this place? It draws attention and it had class. This is an interesting place to visit. I was very impressed at the commitment to the Arts that France had even years ago. The Men that studied here dedicated their lives to the Arts. The building is enchanting. I love the details of the rooms and the ceilings put you in a state of awe. There is mystery in these walls that Dan Brown wrote about in his book. I wonder how much is truth and how much was just his imagination...

The Mona Lisa sits within these walls, although it would have been nice to take a picture of her, it wasn't allowed. Wouldn't it be great to create a piece of art that was revered though the ages? Hundreds of people stood in line to get a glimpse of that well known smile and that soft look in her eyes.

The Louvre Paris

The Louvre Paris, originally uploaded by cinda marie.

It's all about perspective. This is a well known structure. Thousands of pictures have been taken of the Louvre. I ask myself how can I look at this differently then anyone else has before? It was a rainy day in Paris, there was not a white puffy cloud to capture, only wet gray skies. You have to ask yourself.... How can I make the best of this photography nightmare? How can I make this more interesting, more graphic, more abstract? With the absence of color use that as a positive and not a negative. When you are traveling you really have to learn to make the very best of the weather variables.

I know one trip I made a few years ago to Ft Lauderdale, Florida. It was just after a hurricane, the storm was not widely mentioned in the news and I had no idea of what I would face. When I arrived the palm trees were ripped apart, I mean shredded to pieces. That meant no beach shots with palm trees or any other scenic shot. All of the light posts and neon signs were blown out, as well as many windows to some beautiful buildings were broken, including our hotel which had so much water damage, we opted to leave early and move on.

I really like this picture, when you look at for a while it seems to take on different angles. If I didn't tell you what it was a picture of you would not know. Think about what is beyond the grid. Think about what this grid represents. Think about the history that is below it. Think about how popular this place is. Think about who walk in this very place. I know that Tom Hanks did...