Cost of fuel directly proportional to an "Impulse buy"?

I was talking the other day with a friend about how it's funny how impulse buys have changed over the years. It used to be $19.95 was the magic price point. Anything over that was "hmmm... I need to think about that... maybe next week". Now it seems like the latest gadgets are $50 or $100 and people say, "That's reasonable".

So my new theory is: "An Impulse Buy is directly related to the cost of a tank of fuel."

I hope that means that fuel prices don't rise to iPhone levels anytime soon! Or do i?

Zune and Podcasting and Photography?

So, I was just hearing reports that the Zune has captured 9% of the "mp3 player" market. For a product launch, that's not to shabby. It's going to take a bit to tackle the dominance of the Apple iPod in that market. But it's off to a good start.

It makes me wonder, how good is the Zune for podcasting (being a podcaster and serious listner to podcasts). Can it do on the street interviews? Would it make more sense to move my shows to a video format that could play on iPod as well as Zune?

It makes me wonder how the formats can play on the Zune player. I'm anxious to see more of how this device develops. Wish I could get ahold of a review copy to see how it works!

Related Reading:
Find Out Zune
Zune.net



Besides, what could be cooler to store your photos and show your friends? I'm digging the bigger screen then an iPod.

Famous Photography Moments?

I saw this ad in PDN and was looking at it pretty closely and some things looked familiar. It was shot by Clay Blackmore, a wedding and portrait photographer from Baltimore Maryland (not far from South Central PA).

After closer examination, I thought I recognized this location as the fountain behind the state capital here in Harrisburg. Then I started searching my memory banks. Andrea, Matt Wood and myself did a photoshoot in Harrisburg about a year ago and there was a LARGE wedding (or at least wedding photos) being taken at the capital, directly across the street from our location. I remember commenting on the photographer's "white lenses" to my Nikon friend.

The more I think about it, I think this could very well have been shot at the same moment(s) as this other photoshoot was taking place.


The images we shot have graced banner ads found on MySpace and brochures and I'm sure many other places we haven't found out about. As well, the action happening across the street showed up in an Ad for Canon in PDN and other photo magazines. It's kind of funny to think that the photography action on both sides of the street would such high visibility in extremely diverse publications.

On a panel at PhotoPlus Expo in NYC

If you are going to be at PhotoPlus Expo in November. Be sure to stop by and say hello.

I will be on a panel discussing the Microstock photography business. (search for Ed Hidden on that page). Come see me get tarred and feathered for "ruining the industry"... lol. (I think it will be a good discussion, but I know how unpopular the topic can be.)

So, let me know if you are going to be in town and would like to get together for a coffee. There are only 13 million Starbucks in NYC I think.

(LightSource Podcast) Episode about modeling

For my model friends,

On our Studio Lighting podcast available (for free download) at StudioLighting.net. We interviewed a great photographer who talked about commercial modeling.

It was a great audio article and wonderful for people who want to get into commercial/advertising modeling.

For me, sadly it will possibly talk some of you out of doing TFP or TFCD shoots, but I thought it was very valuable stuff to know and I learned quite a lot from it and plan to rethink how I handle a lot fo things from it.

(no, this does not mean that I'm going to stop doing TFP/TFCD work, but I will probably be amping up my services that I offer and focus (pun intended) on helping develop well rounded portfolios.

Much like how I work with my web design clients, I'd like to move beyond a project (a shoot) and work on delivering a "whole solution" (a solid portfolio).