Week 4 EOC: There's An App For That

If there was one application that I wish my phone had, it would be an app that could examine a photo and determine the settings used to produce the photo, or that could automatically configure settings for you prior to a photo shoot – although this app would most likely not be 100% reliable and may even turn some photographers off of the product – imagine the time that could be saved trying to figure out your lighting setup, aperture, and shutter speed!

            By far the most inconvenient (or fun, however you choose to look at it) part of being a photographer is the big set-up before a photo shoot: if you're limited on time, you could very well spend most of that time scouting your location, putting together your equipment, or applying hair and make-up to your model. Therefore, I recommend figuring all of these things out prior to the big event, because then you will know exactly how much time you have to take photos. Of course, the trickiest part is lighting – without light, there would be no photography! Outdoors are the most difficult locations to shoot, because depending on the time of day and the weather, you will be adjusting your settings regularly throughout the shoot. These days, however, anyone with a camera on their phone likes to consider themselves a photographer – and although that makes my job harder as a professional, it also helps me to strive to be the best at what I am doing.

"iPhone photography has come a long way in the last three years since the advent of the App Store." (Panzarino, The Top 30 Best Photography Apps for iPhone: http://thenextweb.com/apps/2011/04/17/the-top-30-best-photography-apps-for-iphone/)

            There are many apps in existence that allow you to edit your images for enhancement, or to create interesting effects – but none of them go as far as to choose settings for you – and while any experienced photographer or enthusiast may tell you that they know what they’re doing without the help of a computer chip… it would just minimize the amount of time you’d be spending worrying about correct exposure, and allow you to focus on obtaining the image you want. Of course, results may vary.

Week 3 EOC: My Demographics

                If you were born between 1977 and 2000, then you are part of the Millennials (or Generation Y, and also called the echo boomers). I may not agree with some of the descriptions of my generation, but I cannot dispute them.

"One thing that all of the Millennials have in common is their utter fluency and comfort with digital technology. They don’t just embrace technology, it’s a way of life." (Marketing: An Introduction, Armstrong/Kotler - Chapter 3 Analyzing the Marketing Environment, pg. 74)

There has never been a more accurate assessment of my generation – we are so conditioned to life with digital technology, that living as our parents did before us would probably scare a lot of Millennials senseless. The perfect example of this, not just through our daily interactions with social networking and in keeping up to date on everything through digital technology, but also in how we are asked to explain to older generations just how something works. Take my father, for example: I was asked to come over and show him a step by step “how to” reply to a job posting on craigslist through email. Now, for me, this seems like a simple task that can’t possibly be as difficult as he’s making it out to be… but for my father? It might as well be rocket science. You see, my father was part of the baby boomer generation, therefore he knows hard labor more than he knows about computers and the internet. I must admit, I lose patience and get frustrated when asked to explain something that I have been doing for years, but I know that my father is even more flabbergasted and impatient by his lack of understanding than I am.

“All generations are comfortable with technology, but this is the generation that’s been formed by technology,” says a Yahoo! executive. For them, “it’s not something separate. It’s just something they do.” (Marketing: An Introduction, Armstrong/Kotler - Chapter 3 Analyzing the Marketing Environment, pg. 74)

            I spent a large majority of my teenage years on the internet. I didn’t just learn the new technology that was being enhanced on a yearly basis, I attempted to master it. I explored website building, graphic design, chat forums, blogging, and a multitude of other things that the internet provides – it was like having a friend that connected you to other people around the world, and to this day, I talk to people from other parts of the country and even from Europe.

“What really set the Obama campaign apart was its immense appeal to Millennials, the country’s youngest voters. The campaign’s mastery of cutting-edge social media, such as the my.barackobama.com Web site, was optimized for Millennial appeal. For this generation, “the new pronoun is me, my,” says a marketing expert. “Young people want to be in control of their relationship with a brand. They want to customize and personalize.” (Marketing: An Introduction, Armstrong/Kotler - Chapter 3 Analyzing the Marketing Environment, pg. 74)

            Millennials are very self-indulgent, and as a member of this generation, I am not embarrassed to admit this – I do, however, want to change it. Considering the technological state of society, it is very hard to reach other people on a personal basis that does not involve social networking or through a text or email. The most effective marketing is definitely through the internet, through social platforms that people use every day to communicate to others and to express their opinions. I, personally, post political opinions, videos, and articles on facebook to share with other people or to ignite discussions. If you want to reach the 83 million children of the baby boomers, the internet is the first and last place to start.

Week 3 EOC: Making Money for Good

Feeding America, Live Strong, and To Write Love On Her Arms are three examples of companies and organizations that turn their profit around for the greater good, by giving back to those in need.

Week 2 EOC: Boston Consulting Group - Video Games

                The video game industry has always found ways to bounce back from the depths by offering a new product for consumers – but even without the current recession, would parents still continue to buy $60 games, when there are cheaper alternatives? Online games, such as those on social networking websites, and phone games are increasingly popular and inherently more affordable for the average household. There have not been any new developments in the gaming industry, perhaps with the exception of the "Kinect" for the Xbox 360. Is the industry in serious trouble?

Week 1 EOC: Great Customer Service

“Marketing must be understood not in the old sense of making a sale — “telling and selling” — but in the new sense of satisfying customer needs.” (Marketing: An Introduction, Armstrong/Kotler pg. 4)

                As a society based around consumerism, the retail industry is a large part of our daily lives. There are many retail companies that attempt to create a good rapport with their customer base, but tend to fail more than succeed, because they simply go about it the wrong way - how many times have you been hounded upon entering a store about the company's latest deals and promotions, rather than being offered assistance to meet your needs? I've lost track of how many times this has happened to me, and as such, I go out of my way to avoid interacting with employees at retail chains when I am shopping; I just don't want to be bothered anymore. When I have encountered a situation that requires more knowledgeable cooperation, I have also often been on the unfortunate end of being ignored by workers. I was born and raised in Las Vegas, so I suppose you could say that I have become accustomed to the low standards of customer service and common courtesy in this city, and do not expect very much leeway in this department. However, despite the fact that I have had more negative experiences than positive, every once and awhile there will be someone who surprises you. For instance, my standard routine of grocery shopping involves listening to my ipod and avoiding the use of a cart as much as possible – normally I only need a few things at a time and do not need to push a cart around the whole store. One day, I decided to break my routine, because I wasn’t feeling very energetic after the previous day’s work; I secured myself a shopping cart and acquired my small list of required items, before heading to the aisle with the cases of water. In an effort to avoid small talk and more sales pitches, I almost always use self-checkouts when they are available, and during my checkout process I was asked by an employee if I would need help to my car with my water – I politely declined. After my completed transaction, I was once again asked if I would need help on my way out the door; again, I declined, and at first I was mildly insulted that I had been asked by two people if I needed the assistance. I may be small, but I can certainly handle a case of water! In retrospect, however, I realized that this was the first time that I ever received this kind of customer service from that particular grocery store, and because I am conditioned to bad service, I did not recognize it for what it was. I would not mind returning to this grocery store again.

Week 1 EOC: My Voice

                As a professional wedding photographer, there are two important things to remember, no matter who you're shooting for: 1) your bride and groom are more nervous about having their pictures taken than you are about taking them, and 2) set aside your personal life, because their special day is not about you. Every day is a learning experience out in the field, and I aim to take full advantage of the lessons each new person may offer. I am a firm believer that formal education is important, but the only way to discover your strengths and weaknesses is through trial and error – of which there are many opportunities during a face-to-face encounter with clients. You will go far if you know the technical aspects of photography, but those technicalities should never impede your desire to deliver the best possible experience; after all, no matter how good your photography, if your client does not have a good time with you, they won’t care whether you know how to use a camera or not. Lastly, the following quote describes the most important aspect to photography: "I think a photography class should be a requirement, because it makes you see the world, rather than just look at it. " – Unknown.