As mentioned in my last post on this site, I have a new site. The Picture Pundit is now online and contains its first few articles.

Head over to Picture Pundit and get photography news, articles, and commentary that should make photographers think a bit.

Continuing the Conversation: Picture Pundit is a post from Social Photo Talk. Subscribe to the free Social Photo Talk e-newsletter

Instead of a regular article (we’ll be posting today’s photo article tomorrow), let’s pause today and think a bit about Memorial Day, why it’s a holiday, and then men and women that it honors.

Photo by Beverly & Pack, used under Creative Commons licensing

A Pause on Memorial Day is a post from Social Photo Talk. Subscribe to the free Social Photo Talk e-newsletter

At the beginning of December 2009, I signed up for a WordPress blog. If you asked what I was going to blog about, you would have been met with a tidal wave of ideas, but nothing concrete. I had no idea where to start, but I knew I had a voice that wanted to be heard. I had finally made the decision to take my photography further than simply taking photos with which to adorn my otherwise bland room.

If there was going to be anyone out there on the interwebs reading my blog besides my mother, I wanted them to get to know me a little bit before I started sharing what little snippets of wisdom might be rattling around in my head. My first few posts were an introduction to my life, my family and friends, and my day-to-day life. After writing that small handful of introductory posts, I shared a few posts about photographers whose lives inspired me to continue my photographic efforts.

After posting fairly consistently for a couple months, I decided to take the plunge. I consulted with a friend and told her my desires to begin posting 4 days a week. I was quickly met with a wide eyes and a twitch that I’m almost positive was a near slap. While she thought I might be slightly insane, she wished me luck, but warned that it wouldn’t be easy. Since the beginning of February, I’ve been able to kept up with a schedule of four posts each week, adding the occasional guest blogger to round out the number to 5 weekdays.

I am more than aware of the fact that my adventures in blog-land have only just begun, but I feel that already I’ve gained many things through all the posts. I’ve discovered a sassy storyteller, I’ve made new friends, and I’ve found an outlet for sharing my journey as a growing photographer.

Kate is a growing portrait and wedding photographer in Portland, Oregon. You can find her at her blog, or reach her by email.

Guest Post by Kate Borst: Diving Into Blogging is a post from Social Photo Talk. Subscribe to the free Social Photo Talk e-newsletter

Whether you’re stuck wondering what to tweet about or perhaps you’re looking to tweet about something a little different than your usual topics, here’s a list:

1. Tweet a link to your latest work on Flickr
2. Tweet an offer… Perhaps a free 8×10 if a client mentions they saw your tweet.
3. Tweet a link to your bio on your website.
4. Tweet a link to a photo by someone else on Flickr that you find interesting.
5. Tweet your thoughts on a new poesy of gear that was announced.
6. Tweet a link to an older blog post that you made that is still relevant or interesting.
7. Tweet a link to an interesting photography blog that you read.
8. Tweet a link to Amazon.com to a book that has helped you become a better photographer.
9. Tweet a link to Amazon.com to a book that has helped you become a better business person.
10. Perform a search and answer someone’s photography question.
11. Tweet a quotation that you find inspiring (find a short one and make sure to provide attribution).
12. Tweet a link to a client’s website where they’re using your photography.
13. Ask a question about a technical photography topic.
14. Tweet a recommendation for a podcast you enjoy.

Now seems like a good time to mention that if you haven’t grabbed my free Twitter for Photographers report, well, just do it

What have I forgotten? What would you add to this list?

Photo by woodleywonderworks, used under Creative Commons licensing

14 Things a Photographer Can Tweet About is a post from Social Photo Talk. Subscribe to the free Social Photo Talk e-newsletter

Last night as I fiddled around with my iPad i thought about what a photographer might do with the device. Sidebar: If you’re getting tired of hearing about the iPad, I can assure you that Wednesday’s article has a different focus.

Here’s a list of some uses I came up with in a few minutes of thinking… links with asterisks are links into iTunes for a specific app.

1. Load photos on it as a mobile portfolio.
2. Keep your calendar on it; when meeting with clients, scheduling issues can be handled instantly.
3. Keep blank model releases (using an app like Easy Release*) and capture them digitally.
4. Read email while on the go – respond quickly to clients.
5. Read photography articles on the go when you have a connection. Use Google Reader with the built-in web browser.
6. Read photography articles on the go – even when you’re not connected. Use an app like Instapaper Pro* to download things that you can “catch up on” while mobile with the iPad.
7. Use the LightTrac* app to find the sunrise time, sunset time, and the exact location (overlaid on a map) of the sun’s position for sunrise and sunset on any day.
8. Watch Kelby Training (coming soon).
9. Use the Square* app to process payment transactions in the field.
10. Put it in a stand and use it as an impromptu digital photo frame.
11. Give a presentation at your local camera club or other gathering using Keynote* (and without having to carry your laptop).
12. Write a blog post (guess where this one was composed…)

What other uses can you think of?

Photo by curiouslee, used under Creative Commons licensing

Twelve Things a Photographer can do with an iPad is a post from Social Photo Talk. Subscribe to the free Social Photo Talk e-newsletter

I’ve been thinking about time spent using social media. Especially how that might affect photographers. Last Monday, I wrote about how one might choose to split their time and resources between various services such as Twitter, their blog, and Facebook. Today I offer a few thoughts about time commitment in general.

Question: How much time is the right amount of time to spend on social media? My response: I don’t know. How many clients do you want; how many people do you want to see your photography?

The benefits you’ll see from using Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, and other social services will probably be related to the amount of time and effort you invest. If you only follow 10 people on Twitter or tweet once a day, you’re not going to get much in return. If you only log onto Facebook once a week or never interact with anyone else… well, don’t be surprised when they don’t respond to you either.

I recently saw a prominent photographer muse about how he wasn’t sure what to make of his Flickr stats, while noting that he didn’t spend much time participating on Flickr. He’s not getting much out of it because he’s not putting much into it.

Yes, there are ways to work smarter not harder, but if you’re not working at all, you’re not going to see results.

If you’re on Twitter and have been plugging into photography tweets, you’ve probably run across Jack Hollingsworth (@photojack). How did he get to where he’s at? He spends about an hour a day engaging with other photographers on Twitter. Need a metric or a tangible starting point? There you go… one hour per day. Split it up into a couple half-hour chunks or four 15 minute segments if that works better with your schedule.

Keep in mind that most of Jack’s time has been interacting with other photographers. You might find it more beneficial to reach out towards your client base. Spend some time on Facebook maintaining the relationships with your senior portrait or wedding clients. If you’re an event shooter, build and maintain contacts in event management, catering, and other complementary trades.

Start with an hour a day and see how things go. Surely 10-15% of your working time being spent on marketing is reasonable, isn’t it?

Photo by zoutedrop, used under Creative Commons licensing

How Much Time Should a Photographer Spend on Social Media? is a post from Social Photo Talk. Subscribe to the free Social Photo Talk e-newsletter

What’s the social media thing that you know you should do, but aren’t? Why?

This Really Short Blog Post is Waiting for Your Answer is a post from Social Photo Talk. Subscribe to the free Social Photo Talk e-newsletter

One of my social media predictions for 2010 was that we’d reach a point where social media use and marketing would stop being thought of as some special or “new” thing and instead be considered mainstream and normal.

It’s the beginning of March, and I’m there, at least in the photography world. I’m pretty sure that most photographers are using social media and using it to market their art and services (either directly or indirectly). I think we’re at the point where anyone not using any sort of social media (such as blogging, Twitter, Facebook, and the like) is behind the curve.

And those folks that are behind the curve… well, I’m probably not going to reach them by evangelizing the glory of social media here on this blog.

No more “you should try out this Twitter thing” or “here’s how to start using Facebook” articles. The focus will be on doing it right, with the assumption that you’re already doing it.

Social Media is No Longer New or Leading Edge is a post from Social Photo Talk. Subscribe to the free Social Photo Talk e-newsletter

Everyone keeps tracks of tasks and business plans and goals in different ways. It could just be me, but I suspect I’m not the only one who has a couple tasks sitting on my list that I keep procrastinating, even though the value in getting them done would mean a growth in business. Perhaps it’s something that’s going to require a lot of effort. Maybe it’s something for a part of your photography or business that’s a bit out of your comfort zone.

That thing? Do it. I’m planning to take care of such a thing this weekend. I know I’ll be in a stronger business position when it’s done. No, it won’t be fun. But it needs to be done.

If you’ve got something similar that’s lingering in your “should do” pile… now is a great time to get to work.

Yeah, it’s Friday, which usually means a podcast. I’ve been down with a nasty cough for nearly a week, so I wasn’t in any sort of shape to do audio recordings. We’ll be back next week with the Social Photo Podcast.

That Thing You’re Avoiding? Yeah… That One. Do That. is a post from Social Photo Talk. Subscribe to the free Social Photo Talk e-newsletter

Trey Ratcliff, best known for his HDR work on his Stuck in Customs blog (and book), gave a talk last week at Google. It’s about an hour long and is a great overview of his take on photography, a look at quite a few of his photos, art and science, and attention as currency. Check it out:

Trey Ratcliff Speaking as Part of the Authors@Google Series is a post from Social Photo Talk. Subscribe to the free Social Photo Talk e-newsletter