Adobe Products
Lightroom adds masking - Holy smokes, Batman!
New versions of Adobe Creative Cloud apps recently hit the street.
As usual there are A LOT of new features - some that look super useful and others that I'll never use. But the one new feature that really caught my eye was the new Lightroom masking feature.
Holy smokes! You can now click a button and LR will automatically find the sky or main subject in your image and let you make selective adjustments to what's been masked.
Check out this video that will have you masking in Lightroom in less than 10 minutes.
I had a chance to play around with the sky masking a bit and it worked flawlessly! Being able to easily make sky adjustments with my raw files will be a game changer!
If you use Lightroom, definitely check this out...
Instagram and Social Media
New Instagram "Add Yours" Stories Sticker does what?
So what does the new 'Add Yours' Instagram Stories Sticker do? I'm not completely sure, but check out this article that lays out some different ways you can use it.
It sounds really cool, right? If it works like I think it does it seems like it'd be a GREAT way to get your clients to talk about you in a fun way!
From the article...
"The way it works is by creating a thread of Instagram Stories, starting with the new sticker being added to a Story alongside a text input field. Underneath this, the sticker prompts viewers of the stories to respond back with their own Instagram Story, which is then automatically added to your Story, and every Story account that participates in the thread!"
And the best part is that the original creator's name shows up on every single participant's shared sticker! Talk about going viral!
We're in the process of testing this on the SeniorInspire page, so keep an eye out for more on this one!
Your mental health
Dealing with Seasonal Depression
This is the time of year when the seasons are changing and, for senior photographers, business is changing too.
For those of us in the Midwest and Northeast, outdoor sessions are mostly done and trying to get paying senior clients into the studio can be a challenge.
Thoughts like, 'Will I ever photograph another senior?' are not uncommon.
Or, is that just me? 🤣😂😢
Here's an article with some ways to deal with the wintertime blues. They even have a name for the condition... Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD for short. 🙂
There are some decent tips in the article, but as photographers we have the ability to deal with SAD more creatively.
So, let's hear how you deal with seasonal mood swings! Send me a message with your secrets to avoiding the wintertime blues and I'll publish some of the best ideas in an upcoming issue of the newsletter.
Just hit reply, or if you're reading this online you can email me here.
Meet the Photographer
Don't mess with Joshua Hanna
For this week's interview we're heading out to West Virginia to talk to Joshua Hana!
If you're not familiar with Joshua's work, you really need to be! Whether you photograph seniors or sports, Josh has images that will most definitely inspire you!
Here's our conversation...
SeniorInspire I don't know that we've ever met, though I think you might have been in a big group I was sitting with at a table in Roberto's Pizza at SYNC a few years back. Is that possible? Does that place have the best pizza, or what?
Joshua Hanna That’s very possible! That’s our typical opening night dinner every year, and we usually end up in a group, which is how I’ve met some of the coolest people I know! ...and yeah, their pizza is legit!
SI Your lighting and processing blow me away! Are you mostly self-taught, or did you have a mentor or two who helped you find your style?
JH Thank you! I am primarily self-taught. I remember spending lots of late nights and long hours scouring the internet for any info that would help me figure this stuff out...but this was before so much of this info was so readily available. So I had to experiment and play to find ways to create some of the looks and styles I really liked. It wasn’t until years later that I understood the importance of seeking out solid education...particularly when it came to turning these skills into a sustainable business.
SI Which do you enjoy more, a session with a single senior or a shoot with a high school football team?
JH Definitely a single senior. Besides being able to get far more creative with lighting, posing and environment... it also allows the opportunity to connect with seniors one-on-one. In a team setting, the guys all still have their bravado on point (which as a guy, I get that), but one-on-one it’s pretty easy to get to know them and they’ll let their defenses down once they see you have things in common and you just want to make them look and feel good about themselves.
SI What’s an accomplishment you are really proud of?
JH Leaving a corporate job of 16 years to peruse photography. It was the most difficult decision I ever made and required faith over fear. I hope that it inspires my own son to find his own path in life and not get sucked into the abyss.
SI Who was your childhood hero?
JH My dad without question. He was our pastor and a jack of all trades. There wasn’t anything he couldn’t do or couldn’t fix. He taught me how to be reliant on God, what it meant to be a good husband and good father, and the importance of working with my own hands.
SI Your Facebook profile pic is way intimidating. 😨 Have you ever considered going with a softer, gentler profile pic? With all due respect, of course.
JH I bounce between having goofy profile pics and more serious ones. I guess it shows my split personality. But usually they’re just an excuse to Photoshop myself into looking way cooler than I actually am. 😂
SI If you were to start a podcast, who would be your first photography related guest? And what would your first question be?
JH Mark Bryant. Your artwork has the most amazing painterly look, without looking painted...what’s up with that? (Follow up question...will you teach me your ways?)
SI Where can people find the different templates you sell?
JH My website JHPhotoDesign.com has Photoshop template designs for anyone looking to simplify, and amplify, their team or senior workflow!
SI Just took a look and those look incredible! I'm sure a lot of our readers will be able to use a few of those.
Thanks for sitting down with us today! It was great to get a chance to meet you!!
And Finally
That's it for this week!
If you do find yourself needing a quick, mood pick me up in the coming week, here's a collection of cute puppy videos guaranteed to put a smile on your face! 🐶