Denver House Painter - Hire A Professional House Painting Company

Now more than ever, homeowners are taking on huge home projects on their own. Though some DIY projects can save some time and money, others projects have more benefit by hiring a professional contractor to get the job done right the first time. If you’re looking to update the exterior of your home with a fresh coat of paint, hiring a professional house painting company may be the best option if you are looking to invest in a professional job. Before you commit, here are some tips about finding the best company for the job.

Pool your resources. Ask around the neighborhood for references and referrals. Call friends or relatives who have recently had their house painted. Don’t feel obligated to utilize someone’s referral; what was right for one person may not be right for you.

Ask the professionals. Once you’ve narrowed your search down to a few reputable companies, do a little research. Look up the company through the Better Business Bureau or read reviews on a website to get an idea of the company’s business record. If you see any red flags like a complaint file or largely negative reviews, move on to another company. Don’t be overly concerned with one bad review – everyone has disagreements from time to time. But don’t discount multiple bad reviews. Read More - Denver House Painter

Want To Improve Your Flash Photography Skills?

“How do I use flash on outdoor portraits and still have my portraits look natural?”

“How do I light up the dance floor in a dark reception hall?”

“How do I use off camera flash?”

I receive questions like these almost daily. Flash is definitively one area that can make or break a photographer. Knowing how to use flash can improve your photography, and if your clients see the difference, they will be willing to pay for the difference.

There are two ways to learn about lighting.

1. You can buy several types of flash units, and keep trying. Experiment with the lighting in different situations, and see what you get. Keep experimenting until you get the results you are looking for, and can achieve the same results time and again.

2. Learn from a professional. A professional can give you a ton of advice in a short period of time, offering you tips and tricks along the way.

Are you ready to shortcut your learning curve, and improve your flash photography skills today?

I found a great resource this week that I think you’re going to love. Edward Verosky just released a new ebook called Flash Photography: How To Get Amazing light In Any Situation. I’ve had a chance to go through it, and the advice is right on target. He keeps it simple, and shows you exactly what to do in many situations using photographs, diagrams, and step by step advice.

What makes this a great resource is how he presents the material. He shares ideas by actually showing you photographs he’s taken within his own studio. He gives you a diagram to show you exactly how he set up the image (where he set the subject, how the flash units were set up around the subject, where the camera angle was, etc) and shares his camera and flash settings. By seeing both the diagram and the final image, along with the description of how the final result was achieved, its easy to set up your own subject in a similar manner.

Whether you keep this as an ebook on your computer, put it on your iPad for bringing with you, or print it off for a handy field guide, this is one resource you’re going to love having. If flash has ever raised a question in your mind, grab this up. For only $9.95 a copy, you can’t go wrong.

Buy Flash Photography: How To Get Amazing light In Any Situation Now>>

7 Ways To Make Your Photography Eco-Friendly

A few months ago I wrote 5 Ways A Photographer Can Go Green and gave you some great tips for getting started on becoming more efficient in what you do.

Going green has been the big push for 2009, with no stops in the foreseeable future. So I thought I would continue on with that list, and add 7 more things you can do with your photography business to turn it into an eco-friendly studio.

1. Recycle. The easiest way to get started is by recycling everything you have. The largest waste a studio will have is paper; buy a recycling bin and put all your paper there instead of the trashcan. It requires about two thirds less energy to make a ton of paper from recycled paper instead of using wood pulp from trees. Recycle your ink cartridges from your printers, refilling when possible. Also find places that will recycle or refurbish your old electronics and photographic equipment when you move onto newer items.

2. Conserve energy. Andrew and I have a home office, and for most of the day, we’re in one small section of our home. Instead of heating the entire house, we keep it at a low 62 degrees, and use a space heater to heat the room we use. There are many things you can do like this. Replace all of your light bulbs with eco-friendly ones. Keep the thermostat down a degree or two in the winter, up a degree or two in the summer. Also keep lights, equipment, and computers off unless you’ll be using them.

3. Stay unplugged. Most of us have power strips and power cords plugged in all over our office and home. With computers, iPods, camera equipment and phones, it seems like we have to be plugged in all the time. Instead of leaving the chargers plugged in all the time, only plug them in when charging. Not only can this save you money from electrical use, but it will also help keep CO2 out of the atmosphere.

4. Stop using film. I’m always amazed at the number of photographers still using film when I do surveys and polls. If you haven’t made the switch to digital, here’s one more reason to give you a push in the digital direction. Film takes chemicals to produce, and energy to move from you to the lab and back again.

5. Watch what chemicals you use for processing. More companies are concentrating on creating chemicals less harmful to the environment. Search out these companies and use them for your processing and printing. SilverGrain produces chemicals that have low toxins, are easy to use, and are environmentally friendly. You can purchase them at a variety of places, both online and brick & mortar.

6. Seek out environmentally friendly products. When you visit your favorite lab, art store or paper company, ask for earth friendly options. The more companies sell eco-friendly materials, the more they will stock.

7. Let people know. While many of us turn “green” because we have the desire, it’s okay as a company to let others know what you are doing. If you are out looking for green companies to do business with, share the same idea with your prospects and customers. Advertise that you are a green photographer. Teach potential clients what it means to be green. The more they learn; the more they’ll ask about it at your competitors. Which will only help the cause even more.

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The 7 Steps I’ll Be Using In 2010 For My Social Marketing Strategy

What's your strategy for using the top social networking tools for 2010? Have you put your ideas down into an action-filled plan?

The problem with using social media in your marketing plans is the lack of a plan. Without a plan, you tend to not gain results because you don't know what results to expect.

Instead of running without a plan, this year I've decided to implement 7 steps into my overall marketing plan, and use them as I would any other marketing tool.

1. Concentrate my efforts on select social tools. Instead of trying every new program that comes along, or focusing on a program when I feel like it or have the time, I've chosen my tools and implemented them into my daily routines. For me, this year I'll be putting all of my efforts into Facebook, Twitter, YouTube – and of course my own blogging systems.

2. Learn what I don't know. I'm using each of these tools effectively, and understand most of the principles behind them. But I can't say I've earned one million dollars using any of these tools – yet! So I'm studying and learning from the best, trying to pick up secrets that can make what I do more effective.

3. Schedule time every day to work with each program. Instead of setting aside an hour for "socializing", I've now created to-do lists with specific items for each system. From researching and using different Twitter applications, to buying a book on YouTube for businesses, I make sure I'm specific about my actions, and focus in on one step before applying it, and moving onto another.

4. Thinking about the future too. Even though I talk about focus, and working through each program step by step, I also know the future is changing technology – FAST. Have you ever thought about moving everything you do to a mobile platform? Or how will the new "iTablet" affect our businesses? The only thing for certain is things change, and you better be ready for them.

5. Being more specific towards my target audience. The best way to reach out with social is to be very specific about who you are reaching out to. While focus has become my motto this year, specific is right behind. I want my clients to be able to read everything I do and say – I get it, that's me.

6. Backtrack. The problem with being a forerunner in technology is you sometimes have to take two steps back before you can move forward. Pages in Facebook are great – but what if you have a huge profile because that's the way it worked a couple of years ago? How can you undo things now that you worked hard to create in the past? So that you can take a bigger leap forward in the very near future? I love whiteboards, and the ability to lay everything out in front of you to make sure you are heading in the right direction.

7. Seek advice. It's amazing how much is out there to learn. And just when you learn more than you thought possible, a whole new level opens up to you. This year I'm looking for top mentors that can help me achieve the exact results I'm looking for. Mentors and coaches are the only way to move forward, yet you have to have the right one's to do it with.

So that's what I'll be up to over the next 12 months. How about you?