Tiffinbox Archives

David Anthony Williams, Photographer & Teacher Wins The 7th Annual Tiffinbox Award

August 23, 2017 by Seshu | Editor & Publisher 3 Comments

Tiffinbox Award Winner

Every year on this day, for the past six years, I've announced The Annual Tiffinbox Award winner. The headline makes no secret of who I have chosen to recognize this year; my dear friend and mentor, David Anthony Williams.

Congratulations, David!

I first encountered David through a wedding photography forum called DWF. His posts were informative, inspiring and often hilarious. His warm personality shone through those posts and when he announced he was offering a workshop in New England, I jumped at the chance to sign up.

I still remember that workshop in Rhode Island vividly. It was perfectly structured and thoroughly engaging. Everyone left the “Almost Alone” three-day workshop feeling like they had learned something truly useful and special. I know I had.

Speaking At Conferences

David then came back to the area and spoke at a Mystic Seminars event, in Groton, Connecticut. One of the things he expressed during that presentation left a lasting impression on me. He essentially distilled a successful photograph to two major elements: light and life. With example after example, and story after story, David deftly guided the audience through an emotional and memorable journey.

Most recently, I invited David to speak at the Connecticut Professional Photographer's Association annual convention. Not one to simply fly in and deliver a presentation he had done before, David chose to present something totally new and untested. Just as soon as he landed, we spirited off to Michael's and Joann's to buy props and fabrics for his presentation. Of course, none of it made sense to me at that time, but when it all came together, it was a huge hit for all those who were in attendance.

David is also generous with his time outside the confines of a stage or dais. Just as the CTPPA convention was wrapping up, I approached David and indicated I needed 10-15 minutes of his time to discuss my family portrait photography business. He gave me an hour without once looking at his watch.

David's Portfolio

David is an artist in the truest sense. He isn't afraid to try new things and pivot. He is a student of history – ask him about Richard Avedon or David Bailey, or even the masters from the Renaissance – he knows them all and refers to them like one would speak of good friends. I trust you will see their influences in this small sample of David's august portfolio.

Learning From David

There is nothing like learning from David Williams directly. Remember that workshop in Rhode Island I talked about above? Well, several years later, I attended his workshop again in Niantic, Connecticut. Then followed that up by listening to him speak at a few different conferences.

David is Australian, but lives in Toronto, Canada now and travels to different parts of the world to conduct those memorable workshops. I urge you to make the time, find the resources and drop all excuses to go and learn from David. You'll definitely be a much better photographer because of it. Once you learn to pay attention to light and expression, your photographs will make a far greater impact for your clients and ultimately for your photography business.

Past Tiffinbox Award Winners

Here are the links to the past winners of The Annual Tiffinbox Award:

Who will it be next year?

Announcing The 2nd Annual Tiffinbox Award!

August 23, 2012 by Seshu | Editor & Publisher 8 Comments

A year ago, I announced the 1st Annual Tiffinbox Award. That award went to David DuChemin, a Canadian photographer whose passion for the industry is imbued with his craft and vision.

The 2012 awardee is no stranger to the business of photography. He runs a successful photography studio in New York City. If you look at his work, I am sure you will be struck by how his wedding photography transcends the obvious. Beyond simply documenting an event, the images are heartfelt and genuine.

His understated but confident presence among his peers, inspires those around him or who have come in contact with him. He teaches other photographers through his blog, Ground Glass, and his workshops, which he unapologetically calls, “I Will Make You Suffer.”

The 2nd Annual Tiffinbox Award goes to Spencer Lum.

Spencer exemplifies this award for being more than an expert photographer. He has a deep and authentic concern for the industry and is willing to chart a course that runs counter to popular trends. While that may make him appear like a maverick, the industry is in great need for revolutionaries like Spencer. Photographers – new or experienced – easily mesmerized by poseurs and “rock stars,” will find that Spencer talks the talk and walks the walk. Read his blog posts or follow him on Twitter and Facebook.

Here are some of his recent blog posts:

Do your clients trust you or are you just clicking a button?

You Are Not A Misery Sponge

The Secret of Success

If Everyone Is A Photographer, What Makes Us So Different?

Power To The People – Put Your Clients First

A Case For True Authenticity in Photography

Here are a few images to give you a taste of his work:

Please join me in congratulating by friend and colleague Spencer Lum. Feel free to post your comments below.

Tiffinbox Weekly Wrap

April 18, 2011 by Seshu | Editor & Publisher 1 Comment

Going to try something new for Monday's – will give you all a weekly wrap up from the previous week, just in case you have missed reading a post or watching a tutorial or video interview.

Love The Products & Services Posted On Tiffinbox? talked about how some of the reviews of products and services mentioned on Tiffinbox have actually been very useful to you and your photography business.

Robert Norman wrote a guest blog post on How To Use CardMunch To Manage Business Cards, an application for your iPhone that will scan and save your data. Pretty cool!

Leon Sandoval from Colorati came back to Tiffinbox for another guest blog post about < a href="https://tiffinbox.org/how-do-you-keyword-your-digital-images/">keyboarding digital files. He had two short tutorials on using Lightroom or Bridge, whichever works best for your workflow.

Blair Phillips has a handle on using video to attract high school senior clients to his studio. In his guest blog, “Video Speaks Louder Than Words,” he tells us just how he goes about it.

Lastly, I had an opportunity to speak and interview David Hobby, the photographer/teacher behind Strobist, a veritable repository for off-camera flash users. David also spoke about his new project “HOCO360,” photographing the people and events in Howard County, Maryland. Check it out!

P.S. This weekly wrap idea was highly influenced by the awesome Copyblogger blog. You ought to check it out too.

Growing Tiffinbox In 2011 With Your Support

December 27, 2010 by Seshu | Editor & Publisher 4 Comments

Tiffinbox, at its core, is about providing solutions and resources for photographers, by building a community of “go-givers.”

Will you join me in making this happen?

For 2011 and beyond I am looking to grow Tiffinbox into something much bigger. As the diversity of guest blogs have shown in 2010, I know that a group effort is much more interesting for all.

7 Things You Can Expect From Tiffinbox In 2011?

1) Video Interviews with photographers

2) Tips on how you can use social media to grow your photography business

3) Portfolios from emerging photographers that will inspire you

4) Reviews of the following:
– popular Photoshop Actions and Lightroom Presets
– photography equipment
– workshop DVDs, seminars and conventions
– online solutions to streamline your studio workflow

5) More fun contests and giveaways of products you will actually use

6) Opinion-editorials on a variety of topics (some even controversial because we still need to discuss them!)

7) A brand new design that will make it easier to find and share information and connect with other photographers

Seeking Your Support

So, if you are just starting out, or, you've been in the photography industry, for a while, I would love to hear from you. If you have any questions, suggestions, tips or heck, even strong opinions about one topic or another, please feel free to email me at – seshu at tiffinbox dot org.

I might be able to answer your question(s) or someone who has guest blogged here might jump in. Or, even better, someone who hasn't written for Tiffinbox before might offer an answer in the form of a quick article.

a) Guest Blogging For Tiffinbox

My heartfelt thank you's to ALL the 2010 guest bloggers here on Tiffinbox.

If you are interested or even ready to guest blog for Tiffinbox, feel free to submit your ideas now. I am scheduling guest posts for 2011 and will publish them in the order they are received. The sooner you send me your pitch, the sooner your post will show up on the site.

If you have been following my Twitter stream @PicSeshu, you'll know that I am pretty good about promoting the articles you see here on Tiffinbox.

The benefits of guest blogging can be summarized by these three points:

1) Helps you take the first steps in establishing yourself as a credible authority
2) Link back to your site from mine (happens to be a PR5 site)
3) Gain a loyal following of your own if you publish regularly here

b) Tiffinbox began as a labor of love. It will remain so for the most part, but I do have expenses to deal with. If you find the content here valuable, please consider the following 7 ways to support this site:

1) Express yourself. Write a guest blog post.

2) Make a small monthly donation of $1 or more (my PayPal address is – fei8ht at gmail dot com)

3) Buy the e-books you see on the right hand side of this site. I wouldn't recommend anything if I didn't think it was of value. Yes, I make a small commission off of each sale.

4) Buy all your camera equipment from Adorama using this affiliate link: http://www.adorama.com/?kbid=66174. Their prices are competitive and their customer service is awesome!

5) If you are into blogging yourself, consider using WordPress and the Thesis Theme (great for SEO) and Hostgator for your hosting needs. Go on click on those affiliate links and sign up.

6) Help Me Spread the word! Tell your friends, blog about Tiffinbox, Tweet or use Facebook to mention a specific blog post.

7) Sponsor a series of posts in a particular month. Contact me for details on ways that I can help publicize your company in exchange as well.

The end goal at Tiffinbox is to create a community of passionate photographers who are looking to openly learn from each other, elevate their craft and thrive in their businesses together.

Thoughts, reactions, responses, suggestions or opinions? Sound off below in the comments. I would love to hear from you, especially if it is constructive. [grin]

Happy New Year To You All!

The NAPP Has Come Knocking On My Door

November 16, 2010 by Seshu | Editor & Publisher Leave a Comment

I can't remember when I first joined the National Association Of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP). I do vividly recall thumbing through the slick, glossy Photoshop User magazine and drooling over the step-by-step tutorials, the featured artist and the succinct product reviews. The magazine was and is designed to inspire. There is no doubt about that. Each month, I look forward to the new issue, almost always wrapped in a plastic cover. And yes, I will confess to being a geek – I do read it cover to cover. Being an even bigger geek, I will also confess to still having every single issue of the magazine since I first joined the organization. For Photoshop and Lightroom information, the NAPP cannot be beat. It is THE place to go to first.

The Benefits Of Becoming A Member Of The NAPP

When I was starting in the photography business, the benefits of being a member counted where it mattered most – my wallet. As a photographer who occasionally bought camera equipment from B&H Photo Video, I shuddered every time shipping charges were levied to my final bill. Even though I live in Connecticut, the UPS shipment was almost in the neighborhood of $25 to $30. Well, with my NAPP membership, the same UPS ground shipping was $0. That's right. Four purchases in a year just about paid for my NAPP annual dues ($99). It was a no-brainer for me. Not only was I getting a valuable resource in a magazine that was chalk-full of great examples, I was also able to get my gear delivered to me at no extra charge. That shipping “discount” is also offered by Adorama.

What's Better Than A Ginzu Knife

But wait, there is more. Yes, lots more. Over the course of the next few months, I will present all of the other benefits and features for becoming a member of a community of creative people, including a whole bunch of photographers. The big announcement I alluded to on Twitter is this – The NAPP has tapped me to be one of their ambassadors. I am truly honored to serve in that capacity.

The Bonus

For a limited time, when you become a member of the NAPP and use this promotional code – “PicSeshu” – you will receive Matt Kloskowski's Lightroom 3 Power Session DVD (a $69.99 value), absolutely free PLUS get $10 off your annual membership fee.

My Promise To You

If you are a loyal subscriber you already know that I diligently apply the “credibility-test” before promoting products, services or vendors. Tiffinbox remains a no-shill zone. I promise to be transparent with you and will let you know if I directly or indirectly benefit from any transactions that I am asking you to embark on. In some, if not all, cases I will try the product, service or vendor before I will ask you to buy it. And in most cases, I pay for it by myself. When it is a gift, I will let you know.

In this case, let me candidly tell you that about a month back, I renewed my NAPP membership through 2014. This was before I was approached to become an ambassador. I paid for the renewal myself. When I did that, I received a couple of DVDs, including the one mentioned above. Having found it useful, I figured you would too when you sign up to become a member.

I want it also known that being an ambassador may present opportunities to get involved with Photoshop World or access to Kelby Training's online courses. If and when those things do happen and I happen to blog about them, I will be sure to let you know in advance.

So, I hope that my relationship with the NAPP is as clear as a sunny f/16 day.

If you have any questions, suggestions, opinions or otherwise friendly banter, pen your thoughts below in the comments section. I do want to hear from you. You voice is heard here. If you do decide to become a member of the NAPP, please let me know. “Welcome,” in advance!