Posts filed under 'General'
This article is taken from Sean’s newsletter.
It caught my eye, because I’ve been a Mac user for many years,
and have seen how the iPod has changed people’s perceptions of
the company.
Even Chris Moyles (BBC Radio One DJ) is now a Mac user! The latest
podcast of his breakfast show treated us to Rachel’s Song” something
he’d developed using Mac software. Anyway I digress - here’s the article:
Mini Article 1: How To Fight Business Battles You Can’t Lose
http://www.psychotactics.com/artbusinessbattles.htm
==============================
Apple Computers lost the battle. They lost the war. But somehow
they stuck in there. And now all of a sudden they turned more that
$1 Billion profit…for the first time ever. Because for the
first time, they’ve begun to fight a battle they can’t lose.
So what am I talking about anyway? And how can Apple’s story help
you find your own big payday?
==============================
Let’s look at Apple since 1984
==============================
They were the big innovators. Everyone loved them. And yet,
competitors came in and pulled the carpet, repossessed most of
Apple’s intellectual capital(sneakily of course), and Apple
was left standing in the rain.
And somehow that rain never seemed to stop. They brought out
cooler Macs; even created operating systems that left competitors
in the dust and still no joy.
==============================
Then along came a spider…
==============================
A spider called iPod. Now notice something interesting. The first
time around, Apple was really interested in creating something
unique. Something different.
Something no one had seen before. This time around, they didn’t
even try to reinvent the wheel. Nope they didn’t. All they did was
take the existing mp3 player and make it really cool.
==============================
Suddenly it wasn’t cool NOT to have an iPod
==============================
And though Apple commands just 5% of the computer market, they
stride like an 800 pound gorilla in the mp3 player market (It’s
estimated the iPod has 75% of the mp3 player market). Suddenly,
after years of grief, Apple took home a cool billion to the
bank in profits.
==============================
What does this teach you?
==============================
That it’s unlikely that you’ve hit your iPod zone. That despite
having excellent products/services, you’re still plodding in the
areas you’re in right now.
And that if instead, you tweaked your strategy and started catering
for a niche market, you too can pick a battle you simply can’t
lose. That you too will have an iPod kind of payday.
Apple lost the battle. They lost the war. But they picked another
battlefield. And suddenly the ‘losers’ are winners.
Isn’t it time you did some winning yourself?
———————-
February 20th, 2007
Now I love photographing landscapes, so for me lifestyle photography is an extension of that, but with people. Photographing someone in a natural environment using natural light enables me to capture them, as they are – relaxed & happy. It enables me to create something unique – as it’s never in the same place so the results are always different, and the client gets a unique piece of contemporary art that captures their moment in time. And is about them. Completely bespoke. Watch this space!
February 7th, 2007
I’m feeling all inspired at the moment. And it’s not just because snow is forecast for tomorrow.
Last week I spent a few days in the Lake District focusing on my business and where I wanted to take it. I nearly filled a notebook with ideas and things I need to get busy with. It started well – I travelled the day before so breakfast at my B&B on the day of the course introduced me to two other people also heading the same place as me, the Annabel Williams Studio in Staveley, Cumbria.
Interestingly we’d all embarked on photography as a second career after being made redundant from our employers – all very happy about that I might add. And all interested in Lifestyle Photography – not that the course was about that – this one focused more on marketing your business than technical skills with the camera.
Now everyone comments about the cost of these courses, and there is no escaping that, especially once you’ve thrown in petrol for a 600 mile round trip and three nights B&B, but I can honestly say I got value for money.
The course was packed with information, and unusually for me I asked a lot of questions. Mostly because I’d gone with a long list – at their suggestion. Better still everyone was really friendly, and happy to talk about their businesses & aspirations.
What a breath of fresh air that was.
February 5th, 2007
My calendar has this positive affirmation for Wednesday 24 January – accompanied by a rather appropriate snowy image:
“Life is an adventure, and the universe is always on my side.”
Not doubting the adventure bit, but I can hear my inner voice whispering “no - not always” and I wish it’d be quiet.
January 24th, 2007
Snow has arrived, and this is the view from my igloo (formerly known as my studio). I was hoping for a blue sky too, but that’s not to be. Now fingers crossed I managed to find some snow in the Lake District too. I have a course to attend there for two days, but will have some free time to indulge in a spot of photography either side.
January 24th, 2007
It’s the time of the year when we all think about what we’d like to achieve in the coming months, and I’ve been trying to forecast what might happen. I had a go at this six months ago, and now I look at it and laugh. Mostly things have not gone as expected – some of this is to do with me adapting my approach to suit the market and some is because I simply didn’t get the volume through the door that I expected.
Not that I had high expectations either – I just underestimated how long it takes to get known in what is a crowded market place. This point was driven home to me at a recent Wedding Fair – I’m getting married this year so attended looking for suppliers – and was surprised to see so many photographers there. Useful for me, as I need a Wedding Photographer. All had great portfolios to show, and were pretty much offering the same thing.
So how does a bride choose? I know what my criteria is, but I suspect it may differ from a non photographers!
January 23rd, 2007
The last time I went to Venice was almost two years ago. It’d be lovely to return. Enjoy!
January 19th, 2007
Andrew – the man responsible for making this website work sent me his newsletter today, and as soon as I saw his article: Don’t confuse your wedding with your marriage! I had to read it. It just hit the note as to how I’m feeling at the moment.
Himself proposed on New Year’s Eve, and I accepted, so after the excitement of ring buying and telling everyone, I bought some Wedding Magazines. Two in fact, and they are packed with ideas, sending me straight into overwhelm. Oh the pressure to get it right!
In the article Andrew comments that “at a recent wedding the Great Aunt of the bride made a statement which was most prophetic … many people now days confuse their wedding with their marriage. This lady believed that many couples focus too much attention on planning the one day event - the wedding - and not enough attention on planning the marriage itself; something which will (hopefully) last a lifetime.”
Finally I found an explanation for how I was feeling. Now it may be the Yorkshire blood in me, but I am really reluctant to spend tens of thousands on a one day event – as is himself, it just doesn’t make sense to us. Great Aunt has a good point.
Andrew then goes on to make the point that “that there are lots of similarities between launching a business, and launching a marriage”, which just makes me smile, as he’s so right.
You can read the full article here: Don’t confuse your wedding with your marriage!
January 12th, 2007
My website has had a bit of a makeover – courtesy of Tracey at Media Minister. I have to say when I first read the new words she’d written for my home page I chuckled. To me it’s a bit on the cheeky side but I am looking forward to seeing what impact the changes have on my visitors.
January 11th, 2007
Not written by me this one, but by Paul who went on the Lake District trip with me. Paul is a member of Harlow Photographic Society so wrote this for the society’s Viewfinder newsletter.
It was a fair morn; the wind was a gentle waft of Autumnal smells, and the sunrise held much promise. In fact, a perfect morning for the perfect image. There was only one thing against us: we were in cars travelling North out of Essex.
So it was that eight HPS members (in truth, seven and an ex-member) headed for the Lake District National Park for a week’s photography. We had started early and it wasn’t long before “the munchies” took hold. By then we were on the A1 and, as other seasoned travellers are well aware, this highway supports a splendid array of eateries not least Little Chefs. It was into one of these homes of gastronomic delights that we entered for a cup of tea (called “splosh” for the rest of the week for some strange reason) and one
of their Olympian (it was huge) breakfasts. The noise of the shutters’ firing was deafening!
Suitably refreshed, it was on with the journey; our next stop being Swaledale in the Dales. John had suggested this location, and it was he who led the other two cars into this exceptionally pretty valley. The further North we travelled the more the cloud had built up, but as we travelled westwards the sun peeped through the clouds, allowing us the
opportunity to capture an image or ten. And to allow Jo to practice her falling-over skills a talent that she was obviously trying to perfect. She was climbing over a dry-stone wall with Graham W, Stan, Antonio and Graham C and very skilfully fell backwards, off the wall, landing squarely on her back. An excellent practice attempt. But there was better to come.
Sue Kennedy and myself were far less enterprising, and found a boring old gate to go through just as another shaft of sunlight hit the patchwork-quilt of dry-stone walls and a lovely little barn with red doors. The noise of the shutters’ firing was deafening, and probably put the sheep off their grass.
After a few more stops along this vale, we were back on the A66, soon crossing over the M6, and into Cumbria. We were staying in Keswick and John had found us a marvellous residence: close to the town centre, loads of bedrooms and bathrooms, vast numbers of plug sockets and a well kitted-out kitchen what more could we want? Food. That was what we wanted; and it was found in the shape of a supermarket called “Booths” where we bought a few days’ worth of provisions along with the ingredients for a very tasty curry.
Cooking was very much a group activity, with the occasional beer or glass of wine being taken to slake the thirst caused by the heat from our hectic culinary activities. After dinner, as we sat in the after-glow of the food and drink, we discussed what we wanted to do over the next week - and where we wanted to do it. Landscape photography featured quite highly!
Sad so it was, the following morning (Sunday), we were up at 5.30 to the pleasant aroma of Stan burning eggs. Now, Stan proved to be an adept chef as a later excellent spag-bog. he created proved - but he was also a consummate egg-burner. In his defence the frying pan had seen better days (probably as old as the house itself: early Victorian). It was just as well we had our resident expert washer-upper and dishwasher-packer
extraordinaire, Graham (W), otherwise the frying pan would not have survived Stan’s tender treatment.
With full bellies we ventured out to Buttermere, hoping for the classic shot of those trees and the little shack and Antonio promptly dropped his camera in the lake. He was delighted, as you can imagine. What made matters worse was the light refused to happen; staying cloudy and dull. Time for a coffee from the flask and further discussions. Even with the dismal weather, the colours were wonderful: the brilliant gold of the beech trees, verdant greens of the mosses and evergreens, and every conceivable hue of browns and beiges in between. Dazzling, when the sun shone, but still beautiful when it
didn’t.
The week continued in the same vein early starts (sometimes avoiding Stan’s eggs; sometimes not); back to the house for a brunch perhaps, and then out all day until darkness forced us indoors for dinner and to drink beer. John was our resident beer expert (member of Camra, perhaps? apologies for the pun), and several evenings found us having “lucky dip” beers: not knowing what we were drinking (or what strength!). This may have contributed to Jo’s next fall. Although not witnessed, it was by all accounts an unusual attempt to find the prone position in the fastest time possible. Tripping over her bed in her room, she ended up on all fours thereby losing several points on technical merit and artistic expression.
On the Wednesday, Jo, Graham (C), Stan and myself walked up Great Gable, one of the many “munros” in the Lake District. We had chosen the Wednesday as the weather forecast had indicated it would be the worst day for photography (which it was). As we scrambled towards the 3000-foot peak, the clouds enveloped us, and a continuous drizzle set in. We struggled to the summit with a delightful view of no more than ten feet and a cold wind rattling our teeth and clothing.
We spent a brief few minutes eating a celebratory cheese sandwich and cup of coffee at the summit “better than sex” was Stan’s comment on the coffee; I do wonder about him sometimes before finding our exit route down a steep scree slope. As we lost height the clouds lifted every so often, revealing the Lakes in their Autumn livery. To the Southwest we could see Wastwater, to the West, Buttermere and to the North, Derwentwater.
Fortunately, we had our cameras with us so were able to capture some of the striking scenery. It was on our way down that Jo decided to fall again and her third attempt was
by far her best. One could tell that all the previous practice had obviously paid off: A trip to start, then a little run, another trip and down she went fully prone. Perfectly executed and Stan got a photo.
Thursday the sun shone from dawn to dusk; we had chosen Derwentwater for our dawn shots and this proved a good choice as the first rays struck the mountains to the North. A little later, the morning sun reached the forested areas reflected in the water. Gorgeous. After sunrise we travelled down towards Rydal Water; each car going in different directions looking for the best locations for their images whilst the sun shone. Over dinner that night we all agreed that, with sun on it, the Lakes is a landscape photographer’s
dream.
One of the advantages of the Lake District is that you can travel to any location in a reasonably short time. Nowhere is that far away. Obviously, the proof of the pudding etc. etc., and the results of the judged competitions over the next year or so will be the deciding factor. Suffice to say our shutter fingers were given lots of exercise and a happy time was had by all. Paul Major
January 9th, 2007
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