The Top 10 Wedding Photographers (2007) Original Post: http://www.popphoto.com/americanphotofeatures/3854/the-top-10-wedding-photographers.html We present our first-ever list of the best wedding photographers in the world (2007). By Tony Corbell  March/April 2007

Wedding photographers used to get no respect, either from customers or other pros. It's only recently that they've been widely recognized for their multifaceted talent. In the course of a wedding day they serve as architectural photographer, documenting locations; as portrait photographer, flattering the day's key players; as product photographer, shooting a closeup of the rings; and as photojournalist, telling a story, under pressure, with pictures. One indication of wedding photographers' new status is that they are being asked to do more and more work outside their geographic bases. Another is that they earn more money than ever. So American Photo decided it was high time to give these photographic specialists some extra attention. Herewith, ten of the best and most influential wedding photographers working today. Denis Reggie Location: Atlanta, Georgia Website: denisreggie.com During his 25-year career, Reggie has almost single-handedly redefined wedding photography. He's shot hundreds of celebrity weddings, including the marriage of Arnold Schwarzenegger to Maria Shriver and John Kennedy Jr. to Carolyn Bessette, at which he made one of the most famous wedding pictures of all time -- of the groom kissing the bride's hand as they step out of the one-room church where the ceremony was held. Reggie earned his fame by practicing and advocating a new style of wedding photography that he called "wedding photojournalism." His approach broke from the usual stiff, posed pictures, "covering" the nuptials as a real-life event. "I am a quiet observer of the wedding," he says, "searching for moments that define the story of the day." Jeff Ascough Location: Littleover, Derbyshire, England Website: jeffascough.net The first photographer in the UK to shoot weddings with a photojournalist's style, Ascough garnered global attention when his wedding work was featured in a 2004 issue of the Washington Post. Given his style, it makes sense that Ascough cites Henri Cartier-Bresson as an influence. While many wedding photographers shoot nonstop, he often composes an image and waits for the "decisive moment." Ascough relies on fast lenses so he can shoot by available light. That practice also lessens the need for strobe, which the photographer avoids whenever possible. Ascough's artistry often nets him assignments with British rock stars and other celebrities -- brides and grooms who are willing to trade a little glamour for more style. Joe Buissink Location: Beverly Hills, California Website: joebuissink.com All you probably need to know about Buissink's talent is that none other than Annie Leibovitz has hired him. Twice, in fact -- once to shoot her sister's wedding, then to shoot her cousin's. Getting the nod from America's most famous photographer was "truly humbling," says Buissink. Yet in the past 12 years Buissink has shot weddings for nearly as many celebrities as Annie has portrayed, including Jessica Simpson, Barry Bonds, and Jennifer Lopez. You'd think celebrities would be demanding clients, but Buissink says he doesn't really worry about what his customers want. He assumes that when someone hires him, it's on the basis of the work he's done and the style of that work. That work, in turn, is what Buissink likes to do, and does best. "Always remain true to yourself," he says. Nonetheless, Buissink insists that it's very important for a wedding specialist to evolve stylistically -- to explore new ideas and techniques, and to take artistic risks. As a starting point he preaches what he practices, shooting quickly and "flowing" with the constant stream of moments that make up a wedding day. "There's nothing more gratifying than seizing the moment with your camera," says the photographer. Bambi Cantrell Location: Pleasant Hill, California Website: cantrellportrait.com There is probably no wedding photographer working today who can make a bride feel more beautiful than Cantrell can. She studies trends constantly, knows the top gown and shoe designers, and, most important, understands what brides want. She is, in fact, at the forefront of the movement to bring glamour to contemporary wedding photography. "I just wanted brides to see in their wedding photography the type of photographs they see in the wedding magazines," Cantrell explained in a recent lecture. "No one was doing that kind of work." Shooting nuptials like a fashion photographer, Cantrell still has the needed reflexes -- reacting to all the things that can go wrong on such a complicated, important day. "I once had to photograph a bride in a hotel restroom," she says. "The images actually won some awards!" The proof of Cantrell's talent can be seen in the way wedding photographers around the world have followed her creative lead, and in how-to books such as The Art of Digital Wedding Photography (written with Skip Cohen, Amphoto, $30). Alisha and Brook Todd Location: San Francisco Website: alishabrook.com Just a few years ago this couple often could be found sitting in the front row of photo seminars around the country, and staying after to ask questions of the featured shooter. They clearly were paying attention: The Todds have opened a new studio in San Francisco's Hearst Building and have photographed a wedding on the Oprah Winfrey Show for a segment called "Fantasy Dreams Come True." They've also bounced back from an accident in which a deck packed with wedding guests collapsed, injuring Alisha and 30 others. As with nearly all the other wedding photographers in our top ten, the Todds report that their clients usually let them call the shots, literally. The style that gives brides and grooms such confidence is a smooth blend of documentary and fine art. And art it is, employing everything from tilted frames, tight, often whimsical crops, and rough borders with the look of filed-out negative carriers -- not to mention prints on fiber-based paper. "We don't see things as they are," says Alisha, quoting French diarist Anaïs Nin. "We see things as we are."

The Top 10 Wedding Photographers (2007) Original Post: http://www.popphoto.com/americanphotofeatures/3854/the-top-10-wedding-photographers.html We present our first-ever list of the best wedding photographers in the world (2007). By Tony Corbell  March/April 2007

Wedding photographers used to get no respect, either from customers or other pros. It's only recently that they've been widely recognized for their multifaceted talent. In the course of a wedding day they serve as architectural photographer, documenting locations; as portrait photographer, flattering the day's key players; as product photographer, shooting a closeup of the rings; and as photojournalist, telling a story, under pressure, with pictures. One indication of wedding photographers' new status is that they are being asked to do more and more work outside their geographic bases. Another is that they earn more money than ever. So American Photo decided it was high time to give these photographic specialists some extra attention. Herewith, ten of the best and most influential wedding photographers working today. Denis Reggie Location: Atlanta, Georgia Website: denisreggie.com During his 25-year career, Reggie has almost single-handedly redefined wedding photography. He's shot hundreds of celebrity weddings, including the marriage of Arnold Schwarzenegger to Maria Shriver and John Kennedy Jr. to Carolyn Bessette, at which he made one of the most famous wedding pictures of all time -- of the groom kissing the bride's hand as they step out of the one-room church where the ceremony was held. Reggie earned his fame by practicing and advocating a new style of wedding photography that he called "wedding photojournalism." His approach broke from the usual stiff, posed pictures, "covering" the nuptials as a real-life event. "I am a quiet observer of the wedding," he says, "searching for moments that define the story of the day." Jeff Ascough Location: Littleover, Derbyshire, England Website: jeffascough.net The first photographer in the UK to shoot weddings with a photojournalist's style, Ascough garnered global attention when his wedding work was featured in a 2004 issue of the Washington Post. Given his style, it makes sense that Ascough cites Henri Cartier-Bresson as an influence. While many wedding photographers shoot nonstop, he often composes an image and waits for the "decisive moment." Ascough relies on fast lenses so he can shoot by available light. That practice also lessens the need for strobe, which the photographer avoids whenever possible. Ascough's artistry often nets him assignments with British rock stars and other celebrities -- brides and grooms who are willing to trade a little glamour for more style. Joe Buissink Location: Beverly Hills, California Website: joebuissink.com All you probably need to know about Buissink's talent is that none other than Annie Leibovitz has hired him. Twice, in fact -- once to shoot her sister's wedding, then to shoot her cousin's. Getting the nod from America's most famous photographer was "truly humbling," says Buissink. Yet in the past 12 years Buissink has shot weddings for nearly as many celebrities as Annie has portrayed, including Jessica Simpson, Barry Bonds, and Jennifer Lopez. You'd think celebrities would be demanding clients, but Buissink says he doesn't really worry about what his customers want. He assumes that when someone hires him, it's on the basis of the work he's done and the style of that work. That work, in turn, is what Buissink likes to do, and does best. "Always remain true to yourself," he says. Nonetheless, Buissink insists that it's very important for a wedding specialist to evolve stylistically -- to explore new ideas and techniques, and to take artistic risks. As a starting point he preaches what he practices, shooting quickly and "flowing" with the constant stream of moments that make up a wedding day. "There's nothing more gratifying than seizing the moment with your camera," says the photographer. Bambi Cantrell Location: Pleasant Hill, California Website: cantrellportrait.com There is probably no wedding photographer working today who can make a bride feel more beautiful than Cantrell can. She studies trends constantly, knows the top gown and shoe designers, and, most important, understands what brides want. She is, in fact, at the forefront of the movement to bring glamour to contemporary wedding photography. "I just wanted brides to see in their wedding photography the type of photographs they see in the wedding magazines," Cantrell explained in a recent lecture. "No one was doing that kind of work." Shooting nuptials like a fashion photographer, Cantrell still has the needed reflexes -- reacting to all the things that can go wrong on such a complicated, important day. "I once had to photograph a bride in a hotel restroom," she says. "The images actually won some awards!" The proof of Cantrell's talent can be seen in the way wedding photographers around the world have followed her creative lead, and in how-to books such as The Art of Digital Wedding Photography (written with Skip Cohen, Amphoto, $30). Alisha and Brook Todd Location: San Francisco Website: alishabrook.com Just a few years ago this couple often could be found sitting in the front row of photo seminars around the country, and staying after to ask questions of the featured shooter. They clearly were paying attention: The Todds have opened a new studio in San Francisco's Hearst Building and have photographed a wedding on the Oprah Winfrey Show for a segment called "Fantasy Dreams Come True." They've also bounced back from an accident in which a deck packed with wedding guests collapsed, injuring Alisha and 30 others. As with nearly all the other wedding photographers in our top ten, the Todds report that their clients usually let them call the shots, literally. The style that gives brides and grooms such confidence is a smooth blend of documentary and fine art. And art it is, employing everything from tilted frames, tight, often whimsical crops, and rough borders with the look of filed-out negative carriers -- not to mention prints on fiber-based paper. "We don't see things as they are," says Alisha, quoting French diarist Anaïs Nin. "We see things as we are."

Melton Fabric - Donkey Jacket

Remember the Donkey Jackets in the early 70's & 80's - I remember the ESB (The Irish Electricity Supply Board) crew used to were them (See some men in the photo below wearing donkey jackets - source www.donegaldaily.com)

 


Donkey Jackets were made from Melton fabric which was traditionally woven from wool into a twill form.

It was a very stiff type of cloth in due to the twill weave. It is very hard wearing, protecting from wind and rain. I wore one myself in the early 90's on building sites. It was my father's old ESB jacket.

Even Punks, Mods or Skinheads of the era wore them, but were a little more fashionable sometimes with tartan linen. The also had pvc patches on the shoulders and elbows.



You can still buy the Donkey Jackets on Ebay: www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/donkey-jacket

Will they make a come back in everyday fashion? I think they are reto trendy but I doubt I was trendy wearing them on building sites in the early 90's - Who knows - Maybe its worth looking in the attic for old clothes and jackets of your parents/grandparents which were made from fabrics you know longer see day to day.

SEO for Startups and SoleTraders

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is always evolving. Older tactics focused on keyword-based optimization and some black-hat practices that have become obsolete. A strategy now has to focus on user experience.


Many business owners are too intimidated by the perceived difficulty of SEO to follow through with it although it is time-intensive, and does demand significant attention. It’s no longer too difficult (although you do need to know what your are doing. With the right frame of mind and commitment, any business owner can start a SEO campaign.

The idea of Google’s algorithm often seems complex, which it is - no doubt about it. Even search experts don’t even understand it because Google has and will never published the workings of their algorithms.

What is known is you have to fulfill two requirements to rank high for a given keywords or phrase you have to be seen as an authority, publish/post relative valuable content. The websites that fulfill these requirements the best will rank the highest. 

Implementing this strategy and the more consistently you implement it, the more your authority and online presence will grow. (Provided it is done right and you use & monitor the data via e webmaster tools/search console)


Optimization

First, you’ll need to optimize the content throughout your website to ensure that search engines can recognize the purpose of your business and the industry niche of your business. 

Include words and phrases that describe your business accurately, but don’t try and stuff your content full of keywords. Write naturally. Optimizing your title, meta tags etc

Build authority by having a strong online presence, and that means having quality inbound links pointing to your site. 

Social Media
If you don’t already have a social-media presence, it’s time to get one. Get your profiles for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and any other channels you think would be appropriate. Post regularly, keep active, engage with your audience, and your online presence will grow

Time is a major hurdle to overcome, especially for small or new businesses. It’s tough to manage an SEO strategy on top of all your other responsibilities, but you can always hire an outside expert to help such as www.realsocialseo.com

http://youarethetreasureyouseek.com is a phishing site.

Do not download documents or provide passwords on this website (Incident ID: 29798524)
 

The site has been reported to GoDaddy as it is hosted on their servers.

Copyright complaints
Additional details.
Please send your report to copyrightclaims@godaddy.com.

Trademark complaints
Additional details.
Please send your report to trademarkclaims@godaddy.com.

Phishing
Report a website that is posing as another website.
NOTE: Website must be live.
Please send your report to phishing@godaddy.com.

Suspicious domain
Report a suspicious domain registration that appears to be used for phishing but does not currently have a live website.
Please send your report to verifypayment@godaddy.com.

Domain disputes
Please see ICANN's Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy.

Account changes
Additional details.
Please send your report to change@godaddy.com.

Malware
Report a site that participates in malware or virus distribution.
Report a site that promotes, encourages, or engages in computer or network hacking or cracking.
Please send your report to malware@godaddy.com.

Spam
Report unsolicited email.
Report an unsolicited text or SMS message.
Report Wire Transfer Fraud (Please indicate Wire Transfer Fraud in subject line).
Please send your report to spam@godaddy.com.

Network abuse
Report a site performing network attacks such as brute force or DOS.
Please send your report to netabuse@godaddy.com.

Content complaints
Disturbing imagery, violence, etc.
Questionable pharmacy content on a website.
Content that displays personal information such as a social security number or credit card number.
Please send your report to contentcomplaints@godaddy.com.

Child abuse
Material found on a site that promotes, encourages, or engages in child exploitation or abuse of children.
Please send your report to childabuse@godaddy.com.

DIY Fabric Guide - Fabric Shop

A DIY Fabric Guide - Fabric Shop

A DIY guide for people who love to sew but don't know anything about different fabrics. The more you know about fabric, the easier it will be to sew! 

There is a lot of information to digest here so don't try to remember it all next time you go fabric shopping. Just pay attention to what kinds of fabric you are buying and how they behave while you sew, wear, and wash them. Looking at the labels in your store bought clothing can also help you learn more about different fabrics.

Contact The Little Cotton Shack for your fabric needs

Fabric Shop

Choosing the right fabrics for your projects 

You should pay attention to fabric WEIGHT.

• Thin fabrics will do better for tops and dresses. 
• Heavy fabrics will do better for jackets, skirts, and pants. 

You can always break these rules, but if you want to make something that will last a longer, try to follow them! Thin lightweight fabrics can be used just fine for jackets and skirts, but for pants you will always be better off with the heavy fabrics.

On occasion fabrics will be labeled by the weight:

• Top-weight fabrics: shirts and dresses. Also called shirtings.
• Bottom-weight fabrics: jackets, skirts, and pants.
• Very light: Under one ounce per yard.
• Light: 2-3 oz. per yard.
• Medium: 5-7 oz. per yard.
• Heavy: more than 7 oz. per yard.

Medium and heavy are best for pants. Light and very light are best for shirts. 

Fabric won't always be labeled with the weight, so if you can feel the fabric and judge for yourself.

*If you are buying fabric online if the weight not apparent, send a query to them

*If you are going to make patches, make sure to use heavy-weight fabric!

Types of Fibers and Fabrics

Many fabrics are a mixture of two or more different fibers. (for example, 50% cotton 50% polyester) Pay attention to the fiber content when you shop for fabrics, because it will affect how your clothes feel and behave.

The following list is separated into 3 categories: natural fibers, manufactured fibers, and protein fibers. 

• Protein fibers are those like silk and wool that are obtained from an animal and are not vegan friendly. 
• Manufactured fibers are usually made of chemicals. They will typically dry faster than natural fibers and can develop stubborn pilling.
• Cotton Fabric Very cool, absorbent, and comfortable. Takes a long time to dry compared to other fibers. Will shrink when you wash it. Medium strength. Ages well. Used in many things, for example t-shirts, jeans, underwear, and upholstery. Combed cotton is softer and better quality than regular cotton.
• Flax (linen) Cool and absorbent, like cotton. Wrinkles badly, need a very hot iron to get rid of wrinkles. Shrinks in water, dry cleaning is recommended. Usually used in summer clothing and home decor.
• Ramie Similar to cotton and linen, but fairly expensive.
• Polyester Does not wrinkle. Does not absorb water well. Dries quickly, doesn't shrink in water. Not very comfortable when a tight fitting garment is 100% polyester. One of the cheapest fibers. Very strong. Also called Terylene.
• Rayon Similar to cotton: cool, absorbent, and comfortable. Wrinkles easily and has only fair strength. Also called viscose.
• Nylon Strongest major fiber. Very stretchy. Not very absorbent, therefore not very comfortable.
• Acetate Very cheap, not very strong. Dry-clean only. Feels silky and comfortable. Usually used in linings.
• Spandex Very stretchy, will recover instantly to same size. Best used in small percentages to add comfort to a non-stretchy fabric. Also called lycra.
• Acrylic Doesn't wrinkle easily, good strength. Used as a cheaper, more washable substitute for wool and also in fake furs.
• PVC/Polyurethane Stretchy and waterproof. Usually one side of fabric will be PVC/polyurethane, the other side (backing) will be another fiber like polyester. Doesn't breathe and is not very comfortable if used for an entire garment.
• Silk Comes from a silkworm. Comfortable, absorbent, wrinkles easily (especially when wet). Sometimes dry-clean only. Very thin.
• Wool Comes from a sheared sheep. Strong, warm, dry, doesn't wrinkle easily. Can be coarse and itchy, but high quality wool is soft. Dry-cleaning works best.
• Mohair Comes from an angora goat. Softer and shinier than wool. Expensive.
• Leather Comes from dead animals. Strong and absorbent.

Best fabrics/fibers to use in DIY clothing:

• Cotton- comfortable, strong, easy to wash.
• Polyester Blends- cheaper, strong, doesn't wrinkle easily. But stay away from 100% polyester if the garment is tight fitting or covers most of the body, because it might get hot and uncomfortable.
• Anything with spandex- will add stretch to clothing so that you don't have to use elaborate construction. Just 1% will add stretch to any fabric.

Fabrics/fibers to stay away from:

• Acetate- not strong and dry-clean only.
• Leather- very difficult to sew on a regular sewing machine.

Fabric Constructions 

Three main types of fabric constructions:

1. Knit- yarns are interlooped in various ways. Usually stretches.
2. Woven- yarns are weaved into a pattern. Stretches only if made from a stretchy fiber, or if cut on the bias.
3. Nonwoven- fabrics not produced by conventional methods of knitting or weaving.

For example: cotton band t-shirts are knits. Jeans are wovens. Top-weight fabrics can be knit or woven, while bottom-weight fabrics are usually woven.

Common terms used for fabric construction:

Orange means knit, pink means woven, red means nonwoven.

Many of these terms signify a certain type of construction as well as a certain fabric finish or pattern. I listed most of the basic types of fabrics you can find at a fabric store.

• Double Knit- two faced, which means the back and front look exactly the same. stretches a lot, good for t-shirts.
• Interlock- similar to double knit. will fray at the edges.
• Jersey- stretchy with a smooth face. will curl at the edges when stretched. many uses.
• Rib Knit- very stretchy, has vertical parallel ridges running. used for tank tops, neck trim of t-shirts, and sweatshirt cuffs.
• Tricot- thin, made with fine yarns. good for lingerie and underwear.

Some of these woven fabrics can also be made as knits:

• Broadcloth- tightly woven. used for skirts, blouses, dresses, and summer clothing.
• Brocade- elaborate designs woven in. wide range of prices, usually used for formal clothing.
• Canvas- heavyweight material. not good for clothes but you can use it to make patches.
• Chiffon- sheer, fine, and limp, and has a slightly bumpy look. used for blouses, evening dresses and scarves.
• Chino- lustrous twill weave. used for army uniforms and many other garments.
• Corduroy- has pile (like velvet). make sure to cut all pattern pieces in the same direction, as light will reflect differently depending on which way the pile goes. many uses (excluding shirts).
• Crepe- lightweight with a crinkled or puckered surface. used for dresses and formalwear.
• Denim- same as twill. weave has diagonal, parallel ridges. many uses.
• Flannel- medium-weight with a soft, fuzzy surface. many uses, for example shirts and pajamas.
• Fleece- can be knit or woven. made from wool. can be cheap or expensive, quality usually depends on price. good for jackets and warm clothing.
• Gingham- printed or dyed with a striped or checked pattern. variety of weights and uses.
• Muslin- inexpensive medium weight fabric, used for fitting garments before real fabric is used. (a "mock-up")
• Poplin- lustrous with a corded surface. many uses.
• Satin- has a glossy surface, made in many different weights and varieties. used in dresses, linings, formalwear, jackets, and more.
• Sateen- satin that is made out of cotton.
• Seersucker- medium to heavy weight with crinkles in the weave. many uses.
• Taffeta- smooth, shiny, and stiff. used for formalwear.
• Terry- has a looped pile. very absorbent, has many uses.
• Tulle- thin, stiff, and fine. used for formalwear.
• Tweed- medium to heavy weight twill fabric. many uses, mostly suits and coats. lighter weights used for dresses.
• Twill- has diagonal parallel ridges. if you don't know what this means, look at any pair of jeans. usually a bottom-weight fabric.
• Velour- woven (but sometimes knitted) fabric with uneven pile, which creates light and shaded areas. woven used for formalwear, knit velour has many uses.
• Velvet- woven with a thick pile. for best color/shade results, cut with pile running up. cheaper velvet deteriorates after a few wearings. used mostly for formalwear.
• Velveteen- like velvet, but with shorter pile.
• Felt- many fibers fused together. poor quality unless it is wool felt.
• Interfacing- stiff fabric used to support and add weight to garments. can be woven or knit.
• Lace- usually made by machine. can be used for decoration on almost any garment. also can be woven or knit.

Contact The Little Cotton Shack for your fabric needs

Fabric Shop - The Little Cotton Shack

Source:

• Derangeddesigns.

WHAT TO DO WITH PHOTOS DAMAGED IN FLOOD

Photo Restoration Houston Texas  - ABC13 News - "Truly Amazing Results"

If your precious family photographs were damaged in floods, there are affordable options to get them back to their original condition.

There are various recommendations for cleaning and restoring damaged photos and albums however there are lost of different photo types so take care.

FujiFilm do have some tips:

The cleaning method varies, depending on the type of photo print.

Silver Halide Photos

Prints using Silver halides in photographic film and photographic paper, including graphic art film and paper,

Dye Sublimation Photos

Prints created using heat, such as those from self-service kiosks and marked with “FUJIFILM Quality Thermal Photo Paper” on the back.

Dye-Type Inkjet Photos

Prints using dye that penetrates into the paper surface and preserve the surface characteristics of the paper.

Pigment-Type Inkjet Photos

Prints using tiny particles of colorant that rest on the surface of the paper.