Why ProDPI Is My Photo Lab

A few weeks ago I placed an order for some prints through ProDPI, a professional photo lab. The prints weren't for a client. They were just some sample prints with their Green Executive Packaging. I'd been wondering how this packaging looked and felt for a while, so I finally decided to place an order and find out.

Thanks to ProDPIs super-fast turnaround time and shipping, I knew that if I placed an order on Tuesday morning I should get the package Wednesday afternoon (to be fair, I live in the same city, so shipping is always crazy-fast). The email I received from UPS confirmed this, saying the package was picked up on Tuesday and was due to be delivered on Wednesday.

Wednesday came and went with no package. Thursday came and went with no package. Thursday night I decided to check the tracking number and see what the deal was. Imagine my surprise when I saw the package had been delivered on Wednesday at noon! Wait a minute... no it hadn't. I was at home on Wednesday at noon. No one knocked on my door. No package had been delivered. So, I headed over to UPS's web site, filled out a lost package form and figured I was pretty much out of luck.

Just so ProDPI would know what was going on, I sent them a quick email saying that the package never arrived and they might expect to hear from UPS. Friday morning, I woke up to this email:

"Thank you so much for your email! Don't worry about a thing! We'll have this order reprocessed right away. Please let us know if there is anything else we can help you with!

Happy Friday!
Krystal"

Friday night I received the UPS tracking info for a new package from ProDPI and had my prints Monday morning. Ironically, Monday afternoon I received a call from UPS inquiring about the package and Tuesday the guy who delivered my package the first time showed up at my house. He had delivered it to the wrong address because "this wasn't his normal route". Unfortunately, he couldn't recover the package from the first wrong address. Fortunately this package was something that could just be reprinted and shipped. What if it had been something that couldn't be replaced?

So, to keep things positive, this is just one of the many reasons why ProDPI is my lab. Their customer service is excellent. Their print quality is the best I've seen. Their prices are competitive. Their turnaround times are ridiculously fast. They are local. They care about the environment. They use lots of exclamation marks! And, although I've only met them once, they're really nice people! Why would I even consider using anyone else? Thank you, ProDPI. You've got a customer for life.

Happy Valentines Day!

About a month ago I received a phone call from Cindy at The Perfect Petal asking if I could come photograph a few bouquets for some Valentines Day advertisements. Of course, I jumped at the opportunity, as I knew they have some of the best arrangements in Denver. The bouquets they had assembled for the shoot were absolutely beautiful! So, even if you aren't lucky enough to get a Valentines Day bouquet from The Perfect Petal, hopefully these photos will brighten up your day a little.

Happy Valentines Day!

If this wasn't enough for you, I've got a photo of a different bouquet up on my Facebook page. If you've got a minute, head on over and take a look!

Randomness - Marketing Advice (From A Fortune Cookie)

Advice comes from many places. Sometimes they're sources you'd expect. Other times, not so much.

Take today for instance. This fortune cookie had been sitting on our coffee table for a few days. I finally decided to eat it. Inside, I found the message "Nobody can be exactly like you."

While this might be obvious, when applied to your marketing efforts, to your business and even to your life, imagine how powerful this statement is! Nobody can be exactly like you. Who you are is unique and if you offer yourself to your clients and to the people in your life, you can give them something that no one else can give them: you!

If you've read a few marketing books (at least marketing books for photographers), this isn't a new concept. I've seen it mentioned in almost every book I've read. Sometimes it's nice just to be reminded when you least expect it!

Tech Tuesdays - Book Review - "Vision Mongers: Making A Life And A Living In Photography"

OK, here's the situation... you've got a passion for photography and want to turn it into a career. Or maybe you've already taken the plunge and are working full-time as a photographer, but you're not sure if you're doing things the right way. Or maybe you've been working as a photographer for a while and things are going pretty well, but you still have unanswered questions or nagging doubts in the back of your mind. If any of these sound like you, you need to read this book!

In Vision Mongers: Making A Life And A Living In Photography, author David duChemin tells us his story, and the story of many other successful photographers, in order to make a point. His point is that there is no magic bullet, there is no secret, there is no shortcut to becoming a successful photographer. Instead, he gives us tips and tricks that he has learned through his own journey.

Although this might be considered a textbook of sorts, it doesn't read like one. DuChemin's voice and writing style are easy enough to read for hours on end. Whether he's talking about marketing or pricing, his words are engaging, informative and entertaining.

To me, his words just make sense. There were many different times while I was reading this book that I realized he was saying something that I'd thought or felt before, but had never really taken the time to conceptualize. It felt good to read these things that I'd had a vague notion of in the past, but finally had some affirmation from someone who knows a lot more about photography than me. Of course, it's always nice when someone agrees with you, but this was more than that. This was more like a whisper in my ear saying that I'm on the right track, that I'm headed in the right direction and if I keep moving, I'll keep getting closer to my goals.

Vision Mongers isn't just a feel-good book and it's not just another business book. It's a book written by a photographer for photographers. It's going to be an essential part of my library (and maybe even my business) and I look forward to reading it many more times in the future. If you want to start making money with your photography, do yourself a favor and get this book. There are no guarantees that you'll make it, but reading this book sure can't hurt!

Oh, and by the way, if you've had that Fresh Prince song stuck in your head since the first sentence of this post... you're welcome!

Year End Review - CRAVE Denver Shoots

It all started with a post I saw on the Mile High Photographers' forum that said CRAVE Denver was looking for photographers to photograph local, women-owned businesses. After a bit of quick research, I liked what I had to read about CRAVE and sent off an email saying that I was interested in helping with the photography. Three months and 16 shoots later, I've worked with some amazing women, visited some awesome businesses that I never knew existed and expanded my network by leaps and bounds. Here are the wonderful women whom I've had the opportunity to work with and the Denver-area businesses that they own: