I am thrilled to announce a new partnership between Tiffinbox and Inspire Photo Retreats.

After attending the annual gathering for the last three or four years, I was impressed by how and why the organizers emphasize fostering a community of photographers. Indeed, the very idea of working together came about because it was clear to me that Inspire's vision matched that of Tiffinbox; to inspire photographers by elevating their craft and business skills through education, practice and honest feedback.

What is Inspire?

Inspire is a retreat-style conference for professional wedding and portrait photographers. The conference is comprised of sessions on a variety of subjects, from business practices to shooting techniques, to artistry and personal vision. Inspire retreats are structured to enhance opportunities to foster deep relationships with other attendees, build community, and create a culture of ongoing peer-to-peer mentoring and support in our industry.

Inspire's Mission:

The Mission of Inspire is to invigorate photographers of any level with vision, ideas, and a community of support through intensive workshops focusing on vision, craft, and business.

The next Inspire Photo Retreats takes place in Portland, Maine, from February 9th through February 11th, 2015. Some of the speakers have already been announced. If you would like to submit a proposal to speak at Inspire, do so before the deadline on May 9th.

Curious to know what the Inspire Photo Retreats feel like? Check out these videos from 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013.

And, lastly, here is a slideshow of images by Kate McElwee, an awesome Boston wedding photographer.

What Can You Expect?

At past Inspire gatherings, I have really enjoyed speaking with the organizers and speakers who put their heart and soul into this intimate gathering. It struck me that we should record our conversations and make them available to you. So, while we are working on a slew of neat surprises between now and February 2015, I hope to part the curtain a bit through a series of co-branded interviews.

These short clips will give you a chance to better understand how you too can be a part of this inclusive annual gathering. I hope you will join me and Inspire Photo Retreats on this journey to improve your/our photography craft and photography business in a radically new way. For good measure, bookmark and visit the Inspire Photo Retreats blog as well so you don't miss anything.

Also, if you are an Inspire alum or considering attending in 2015, please sign up for my weekly newsletter in the blue box above! I have begun canvassing deep discounts on high-quality photography products and or services, just for photographers like you. Right now, the second you opt-in, you'll see a special 25% off code for Zack Arias' OneLight 2.0 lighting workshop. Look out for other such offers in your inbox!

My first foray into social media (even before it was called that, I believe) was on Twitter. I didn't know what I was doing. I was a skeptical dabbler.

Now approaching 9000 followers (small compared to some other very popular people), I credit Twitter for being the catalyst for my headshot portrait photography business in Connecticut.

More on how all that worked out another time, but I wanted to let you know that my friends at Photoshelter have launched a new guide on using Twitter that you should download and read. Like all of their other guides, this one packs a punch and even I have learned a few things about using Twitter. The guide is free, and you get to learn about something that you use anyway, even for fun. If you do use it as a channel for your business, reading this new guide on Twitter is a no-brainer.

The guide includes:

10 ways to grow a Twitter following and increase engagement – including sharing behind-the-scenes photos and tweeting about what’s trending

Top Twitter features for businesses that will help you market your work better

Legal considerations before using Twitter, plus best practices to help keep your work safe

Tips to measure your success and determine if your efforts are working

Plus more

Get the free Twitter guide from Photoshelter here.

If you use Twitter, go ahead and list your Twitter handle in the comments section below. I'll check each one out and follow those of you who are actively using Twitter. My Twitter handle is @PicSeshu.

Do we have a deal? I look forward to connecting with you on Twitter.

Ernesto Bazan eschews the title of “documentary photographer” when I try to describe him before our chat. He prefer to be known as a photographer who creates intimate, personal stories. Looking at his images (see below), you'll immediately get that about him. For the last 20 or so years, he is committed to telling those stories of the people and the island of Cuba. His work, developed over time is a response more than a reaction. The images, whether they are from Bazan Cuba, Al Campo or his latest book, Isla, all originate from his heart.

Bazan, is originally from Palermo, Sicily, but now lives in Veracruz, Mexico. From 1992 to 2006, Bazan committed himself to Cuba out of sheer curiosity. Instead of parachuting in and out of the country like a lot of photographers do, Bazan chose to live among the island's people and get to know them in a way only a native Cuban would or could.

The strength of his images are a testament to his resolve to immerse himself in whatever he chooses to photograph. Bazan is the recipient of a number of awards and grants including, The W. Eugene Smith grant; the Mother Jones Foundation for Photojournalism, the Dorothea Lang Paul Taylor prize at Duke University, N.C., the World Press Photo and two fellowships from the Alicia Patterson Foundation and the Guggenheim Foundation.

It was an honor to speak with him as he launched his Kickstarter campaign to fund his latest book, ISLA.

Isla:

Al Campo:

Bazan Cuba:

It is my hope that you will find a way to support Bazan's Kickstarter campaign and make the printing of this important book a reality. The success of this campaign will fuel future independent photography book projects by Bazan and his students and other collaborators through Bazan Photos Publishing.

As a photographer, Zack Arias is a name you must know. He is a photographer, teacher and author who is known for his candid take on the state of this industry that we all love. Every time I have come across him – as a public speaker at a conference or randomly on the streets of a city – I am always left in awe of his humility and his generosity towards photographers.

Several years back when Zack was on the road, visiting city after city teaching his simple approach to off-camera lighting to photographers who were either confused or scared of their strobes, I managed to attend first his workshop in Boston and then later in New York City. These were the famous OneLight Workshops that I may have referred to here on this blog from time to time. I can honestly say that Zach was one of the first people to demystify off-camera lighting for me. If you went to his workshops let hear a collective “Amen” below in the comments because I think only you folks know what I am talking about.

Instead of dreading my Nikon SB-900's, I embrace them, play with them and treat them as toys. I keep making creative mistakes and learn from them. It's really the very foundation of Zack's teaching, I believe. Now, my memory is fading so forgive me if I get my facts all tangled up. Either the workshops came first or his OneLight DVD came first, but having experienced both, I felt I was in lighting heaven. Again, if you attended a workshop and own version 1.0 of the OneLight DVD, please comment below. I want to know who you are.

Zack just announced a new project called DEDPXL that I want you to look at if you are serious about embracing off-camera lighting.

Zack also announced OneLight 2.0 (though this time it will only be available as a download). Check out the intro video below for it. From what I can tell, DEDPXL is both a store and a school. The first assignment and all those that will focus not so much on technique but in guiding you to see better. If you are serious about constantly improving your photography, I would take Zack up on this monthly assignment and join the Flickr group to post your images.

The video is 7 hours long! I thought version 1.0 of the OneLight DVD was exceptionally produced and I am willing to bet this new version is going to rock your socks off. [I do not make a dime for saying so … just passing on a resource you shouldn't miss.]

Right now, OneLight 2.0 is available for pre-order at the crazy low price of $50. I recall the original DVD costing $150 or so and was still a great deal. So, if you are looking for a great resource to learn off-camera lighting, THIS IS IT. The full video download will be available on March 31st or soon after.

So, you are probably wondering if I am going to buy the new version of OneLight. Is that your question? You bet I will because with me, the learning never stops. How about you?

If you have been at it as a wedding photographer, you've at one point or another wanted to create a wedding album for your clients. The process can be tedious, long and overly stressful.

Andrew Funderburg, or at least his company, Fundy Software, is a household name now. I interviewed “Fundy” several years back when I was attending the Mystic Seminars. His programs evolve … constantly. His applications Fundy Album Builder and Fundy Album Proofer are, by a very wide margin, the industry leaders in their respective niches.

I heard from Fundy that he was working on something revolutionary. In most other cases if someone came up to me and dropped that kind of language, I would be very skeptical. Not in Fundy's case because he has time and time again delivered on that promise and made the lives of thousands of photographers more efficient, and perhaps even more meaningful.

When you have an opportunity to interview the guy who defines and directs how wedding photographers run a major part of their business, you jump at the opportunity to see what he is cooking up next. Fundy and I sat down and chatted and he shared his screen with me, showing me the various features of Fundy Designer & Album Builder version 6.0.

The video is long, but well worth your time, if you are considering either buying or upgrading from your current version of Album Builder. We talk about his beginnings, where his ideas come from, what the new version of the software looks like and what we can expect in the future.

Do note that tomorrow (January 31, 2014) is the last day to upgrade at an insanely low price of $30! It would be absurd if you didn't upgrade.

February 1, early-bird pricing will end. Album Builder v6 will be $329, Upgrades from v5 will be $79, upgrades from v4 will be $179, and upgrades from v3 will be $279.

I believed in Fundy's ideas before he even launched his company and that belief is even stronger after seeing what he is bringing to the table now and what features are planned in the coming months. Frankly, it's time again to be excited about photographing weddings and designing wedding albums with ease, efficiency and elegance.