What I Love: Kelby Training

So, you're all probably wondering, What in the world is Kelby Training?  Well, I'm going to tell you. :)  Kelby Training is an online school for photographers.  There are hundreds of videos on a wide variety of photography subjects that are taught by professional, best-in-their-field photographers.  Each class has a few short (never longer than 15 minutes...at least not that I know of) videos taught by a professional on how to compose, find the right light, shoot action sports/fashion photography.  You name it, it's probably on there.  Not only do you learn photography tips you also learn how to edit in Lightroom and Photoshop.  

Daddy came across Kelby Training a year or two ago and wanted me to try it out.  I finally did the 24-hour free trial a few weeks ago and loved it!  I learned so much from just a few hours of video!!  

Needless to say, I talked with Daddy and I got a full year's membership to watch as many photography videos as I want, whenever I want.  I try and watch an hour of video every day, and I love learning from the pros. 

I've always wanted to go to a Katelyn James workshop, or even second shoot with another photographer and Kelby Training is much more economical (it's cheap when you think about what you're getting!!) and such a convenient option (watch it whenever and wherever you want!).   

I just wanted to share this so that any more budding photographers out there could check it out.  (If you're younger, make sure it's okay with your parents.)  I'd definitely suggest trying the 24-hour free trial.  It never hurts to try and, if you do, I think you'll love it!  

Kimber :)

What I Love: BlogStompl

I know I've mentioned Katelyn James on my blog before, because she is one of my all-time favorite photographers!  Anyways, she did a review on some things that save her time in her photography business and BlogStomp was one of them!  I read her post and wanted to try it out, so I asked Daddy if I could try the free download and he said yes!  The free trial downloaded really fast and I immediately set to work...well, more like fun!  I loved it!  I could get so many more pictures organized quicker and better!  Perfect!  I put a few frames together and uploaded one to this blog just to see how fast it would upload.  Voila!  In a few seconds it was uploaded...and I usually have to wait a minute or two for each picture because I don't resize them for the web (shame on me, I know).  Every time you import the pictures into BlogStomp they are automatically resized for the web...it's amazing.  And the import into BlogStomp is amazingly quick...you hardly even notice it!

Anyways, BlogStomp was so great that after a few minutes of playing with it, I knew I wanted it.  I got permission from Mama (Daddy was at work and since I was paying...who cares? :) and immediately bought it.  It's that great.

So, if there are any photographers (or bloggers) out there who spend a lot of time figuring out which pictures to upload and how to organize them once they're on your post...you should try BlogStomp!  I think you will be amazed at the time and sweat it will save you!!  (It also saves your readers from having to scroll through gazillions of pictures because you condense a few pictures to one frame.)  For example, I usually spend at least an hour or two on every photo shoot post.  I want to say the right things, organize the pictures well, and provide captions that aren't sloppy or just plain weird.  So, anything that will save me time on the actual post is wonderful...thus, my love for BlogStomp!

Another BlogStomp bonus is that you can easily add your logo to every picture you "Stomp", so when your pictures are on the web no one can copy them without your name being on them.  As soon as I get my new website/blog/logo I will start adding my logo to every picture!!

And just one more great thing about BlogStomp:  it's cheap.  Like, only $49 and that's nothing in the photography world!

If you're still unconvinced, please read Katelyn James' post here or check out BlogStomp's free tutorial here as well.  I trust you will not be disappointed!

Kimber :)

What I Love: The Story

I have wanted to post about this movie/CD for a while.  It all began with an email from my Aunt Megan.  She said she had bought this really great C.D. called The Story.  Then she let us borrow it (big mistake).  I was driving up to Northern VA when I first heard the songs on it.  Mama put the C.D. in and told me the title of the first song and I just listened.  It was absolutely beautiful...so beautiful that my eyes welled up with tears (not a good thing when you're a beginner driver :).

You see, every song on the C.D. is sung (by the leading Christian musicians) from the perspective of one of the "Bible heroes" like Joshua, Job, Jesus, etc.  The first song, The Creation, was just an overture but it was so expressive and so moving that I could just see God creating everything out of nothing.  It was really amazing.

The songs continued and Mama would continue to tell me the titles and who sung the song.  So many of the songs spoke to me and I saw the "everyday" Bible heroes in a different light.

Needless to say, my entire family loves this C.D.!   We then found out that there was also a movie called The Story that used the same music on the C.D. and just added video.  So, we had to get it!  

Mama bought the movie, The Story, for Daddy for Christmas, and we all watched it together one day.  We all had to shake butter (thanks to our cow, Halle) and figured it would be a good time to watch it.  The first song, The Creation, played and the videos put to the music made me cry again.  Quite honestly, most of us had tears in our eyes.  It was just beautiful.

The songs continued and, one after the other, we were able to identify with the Bible characters and to put ourselves in their shoes.  

The second song is called "Good" and it's about Adam and Eve.  The words of the song cry with the sadness of Adam and Eve after they sinned and were separated from God.  And I could go on and on!

There are a few songs that don't speak as loudly to me as the others, but they're all really good.  My very favorites are:  Good (Adam and Eve), Who but You (Abraham and Sarah), It Must be You (Moses), Your Heart (David), Born for This (Esther), When Love Sees You (Jesus), How Love Wins (Thief), Alive (Mary Magdalene), and Empty (the Disciples). [Yes, I realize that's most of them. :)]

I cannot adequately portray the beauty of the songs on this C.D./DVD.  I would really like to inspire everyone in the world to get this.  I like the DVD better than the C.D. because of the video but the songs speak just as well by themselves. 

So, when you have a spare second, please check out The Story.  Here's the website...and thanks for letting me share about something I love so much! :)