Monthly Archives: March 2010
First Impressions Matter & Your Business Card Can Make a Lasting One
Your business card will often be the first impression your client receives.
It conveys your professionalism, and when you hand it to a prospective client it speaks volumes for you. If you have a really poor quality business card, especially for a photography business, how can you convey that the images you deliver will not be the same?A while back I needed some new business cards for Mishelle Lane Photography. We found a place and Michael designed the cards. The design was great. On the computer screen. But, when we got the cards we were very unimpressed. The print job was extremely cheap in appearance, the cut edges were ragged, and the writing was too light and small (lighter and smaller than what was shown when they were designed.) I just knew that I couldn’t let these cards represent me.
See? This is not the first impression I want to give people who will be inquiring about my photography services. No way, no how.
I want quality. I want precision. I want something I can be proud to hand someone.
I thought about the quality and precision of my last Christmas card. The card that to this day still gets compliments from friends and family. It was a card that I was absolutely proud to send out to convey our holiday message. The card was from Tiny Prints.
Then I remembered that Rick from Tiny Prints wanted me to do a review for them. I contacted him to see if I could review business cards and he loved the idea.
I got to creating. This is what I got:
I decided to go with two different designs because I just couldn’t decide on one. The one with the vintage frame was my favorite, but I also liked the one with the simple, classy, red lines separating my business information. To top it off I added my logo to the back of the card knowing that Tiny Prints wouldn’t print it upside down like the previous set I had ordered and subsequently returned from the company that shall remain nameless.
When I opened up my cards I was not disappointed, at all. And I felt pride.
The textured card stock that is used is top notch. They also have recycled paper as an option. I had my Christmas cards printed on the recycled paper; I know how awesome it is, too.
The printing is crisp
The edges are cut clean.
The cards are elegant and exactly what I want to represent Mishelle Lane Photography. They are stylish and full of professional flair.
In addition to the quality of the business cards themselves, you know you are going to get excellent customer service when you use Tiny Prints.
When I designed my Christmas cards there was a mistake in the written part. Tiny Prints pays attention to the details. I immediately got an email AND a phone call to verify the correction. I mean, maybe I really did want them to say, “May the spirit of the blessed holiday shine up you” instead of “upon you.” But, they wanted to make sure. I loved that and it spoke volumes for the company I was doing business with.
Invitations, announcements, stationary, holiday, business cards, photo books, wall calendars, and photo gifts… Tiny Prints does it all.
[The business cards were given to me to review. The opinions I have shared here, though, are fully my own.]
This entry was posted on Monday, March 29th, 2010 at 12:55 pm and is filed under Reviews. You can follow any comments to this post through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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Sharing a very favorable review of Tiny Prints business cards by my friend Mishelle. You should check out her great photography.
1948 Buick Streamliner Automobile – Add to the “Want To See” Bucket List
1948 Buick Streamliner by Norman E. Timbs
Curves like these inspire poetry. The 1948 Buick Streamliner by Norman E. Timbs is a muse in the world of classic cars, an automobile from a time when curvy was most desirable in the eyes of men. Looking at a car like this makes one lament the slim, simple direction human attraction has gone, when the cars and cover girls leave plenty to be desired in the most important aesthetic quality– shape. This classic Buick Streamliner is in pristine condition, restored by Dave Crouse for the 2010 Concours d’Elegance. Its original construction took over two years, built with an aluminum body around a steel chassis. Not only is it unlikely you’ll ever see this beauty on the road, it’s likely that you’ll never see it on the auction block. A car like this is far too rare, too beautiful that any owner could ever want to pass it up– no matter the price. [via supercars.net]
1948 Buick Streamliner Gallery
via thecoolist.com
This beauty is coming to the 2010 Concours d’Elegance at Pebble Beach – I want to go anyway but this just added an extra incentive.
Hyper-Realistic Acrylic Body Painting (15 pics) – My Modern Metropolis
Alexa Meade thinks completely backwards. Most artists use acrylic paints to create portraits of people on canvas. But not Meade – she applies acrylic paints on her subjects and makes them appear to be a part of the painting!
Meade is an installation artist based in the Washington, DC area. Her innovative use of paint on the three dimensional surfaces of found objects, live models, and architectural spaces has been incorporated into a series of installations that create a perceptual shift in how we experience and interpret spatial relationships.
I was lucky enough to catch up with Meade and ask her about her thought process behind this creative work. Here is what she said:
“I paint representational portraits directly on top of the people I am representing. The models are transformed into embodiments of the artist’s interpretation of their essence. When captured on film, the living, breathing people underneath the paint disappear, overshadowed by the masks of themselves.”
Self Portrait of the Artist
So what’s next for Meade? “I am currently experimenting with more video and new media,” she says. We can’t wait!
More Incredible, Photorealistic Art:
21 Mind-Blowing Hyperreal Paintings
Photorealistic Pencil Drawings by Paul Lung (12 total)
Amazing Photorealistic Star Wars Art – Christian Waggoner (4 pieces)
On a Rainy Day…Gregory Thielker’s Paintings (Not Photos) – 8 Total
via mymodernmet.com
Interesting piece on an artist that paints people to look like paintings
Hoverball Cat Taking Off
This picture was taken just before Hoverball Cat took off at supersonic speed. It sounded like a whistle and a scream and the ground caught fire.
(photo via Uproxx)
Too funny not to share
Mega Shark Infographic – Staying Informed Is Best Way To Avoid Attack
via iwatchstuff.com
Came across the above Mega Shark information and thought it would be worth sharing so we can all be better prepared in event of attack
AirStash: wifi flash drive + pocket media server + SD adapter
Introducing AirStash
AirStash stores your movies, music, photos, and documents and wirelessly shares them with your phone, media player, netbook, tablet, computer, and more. Use AirStash like a USB flash drive to drag & drop the files you want to your SD card while charging the built-in lithium polymer battery, then unplug & play on all of your browser-enabled WiFi devices*.
If you know how to use a USB drive and a web browser, you know how to use AirStash. Once you own AirStash, every other USB flash drive will seem less evolved.
Easy wireless access to your media stash
Just connect your WiFi enabled device to your AirStash and instantly surf & stream your media files through your web browser. No software or app installation is required.
Additional storage for the iPhone, iPod touch & iPad
Break through the storage limits on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad with AirStash! There’s no need to decide what files to squeeze onto your iPhone—bring them all with AirStash! Supply a single SD card for storage capacity up to 32GB, or bring along additional SD cards for unlimited storage on-the-go. Because AirStash is wireless, you can keep using your favorite case and accessories while AirStash sits in your pocket, backpack, purse, or briefcase.
Camera adapter to iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad
AirStash brings standard SD/SDHC and microSD/SDHC cards to the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad for convenient, hot-swappable access to flash cards on-the-go. Download photos to the gallery with one tap and use your favorite apps to edit and upload. Photographers can finally leave the bulky laptop at home.
Access on-the-go
Turn your car into a media access point on your next road trip with an AirStash in the glove box. Serve music to the front seat and stream movies to the back seat at the same time. Let the kids choose their own movies or music to enjoy on their individual iPod touch devices. Take AirStash on your next camping trip off the beaten path while still enjoying wireless access to your media library. AirStash makes its own network, so you don’t need to be tied to one. Review files or kick back and relax at 30,000 feet when you bring AirStash on a WiFi allowed flight.
Share
Unlike a regular flash drive, AirStash shares your files with multiple devices simultaneously. Don’t make everyone huddle around a single computer screen to see the latest family pictures and videos. Now everyone can share and enjoy on their own wireless device. Put AirStash in your briefcase to share files with your business associates without waiting for email. With WPA2 encryption, you can quickly and securely distribute presentations and documents during a meeting.
No internet access required ($0 per month)
Expand and share without worrying about bandwidth, coverage, outages, or cloud failures. AirStash does not require an existing WiFi hotspot or 3G wireless service. (We’d show a map for that, but it would be solid green!) With so much convenience for about the same cost as one month of iPhone service, why not?
No software to install
If you know how to use a flash drive and a web browser, you know how to use AirStash. Just plug AirStash into your computer and it appears on your desktop as a disk drive. Drag & drop your files over high speed USB while recharging the built-in lithium-polymer battery. AirStash works with almost all modern operating systems, including Windows, OS X, and Chrome OS, and almost any device that can use a USB thumb drive!
Safe & Secure
It’s your stash of files and you want to maintain control! Keep all your files securely in your pocket and away from internet hackers looking to bring down the cloud. Wireless password access and streaming encryption (WPA2) keeps your stash private. When you want to share, it’s your choice.
Upgradeable
Add new features as they become available with simple downloads from your computer. We’re very excited about what’s coming! Follow us on Twitter @AirStash or become a fan at facebook.com/AirStash
Design
AirStash’s minimal curved profile was designed to feel good in the hand and easily slip into a pocket. A single, recessed power button controls WiFi and prevents activation in a pocket. Two hidden icons pop to life to show battery charge, USB activity, and WiFi heartbeat. The translucent cap reveals the USB plug within to add both functional and aesthetic appeal. Finally, a concave end juxtaposes the convex body and displays a polarized SD card slot. Just enough of the card is exposed to prevent the card from being knocked out while allowing easy removal.
via airstash.com
The Airstash wifi enabled, battery operated SD card reader shows a lot of promise. Looking forward to getting my hands on one to try out. Nice compliment to a DSLR and mifi perhaps?
Local Los Altos restaurant mourns employee’s death, appeals to public to help struggling family
Photo Courtesy Of Joe LoboEmployees at Rick’s Caf hold regular costume dress-up days, such as this one, at which Luis Sanchez, right, dressed as a knight.
It’s ironic that a young man studying to be a paramedic lost his life in an automobile accident before the paramedics had any chance to save him.
Luis Sanchez, 24, an employee of Rick’s Café on State Street in downtown Los Altos, “was driving too fast” in Mountain View, according to Joe Lobo, restaurant manager, when he lost control of his car Feb. 21, rammed it into a few trees and died.
Sanchez was well liked by customers, an easygoing and comfortable person to talk with, Lobo said. Although he tried to be a positive person, he had many responsibilities at home, Lobo added.
Sanchez, who juggled his paramedics classes with his work at Rick’s, was the sole provider for his parents and his young brother and sister. He leaves behind a family not only distraught about losing their son, but so strapped for funds that they couldn’t claim his body from the coroner.
“We collected $3,000 at the restaurant so his parents could get him from the coroner and give him a decent funeral,” Lobo said. “One lady, who doesn’t want to be identified, donated $1,000.”
Lobo and his staff have taken the collection further by establishing an account at Wells Fargo Bank.
Customers and well-wishers wanting to contribute can send donations in Sanchez’s memory to Maria A. Sanchez, Luis Sanchez Foundation, Wells Fargo Bank, Account No. 2476725961.
“I’m trying to give his family some time to adjust and grieve,” Lobo said. “I want to give them at least three months’ rent.”
Contact Jana Seshadri at janas@latc.com.
Family of local restaurant employee killed in car accident needs help from the community. He worked at Rick’s Cafe (no relation to me) here in Los Altos.
How to Connect Your @EyeFiCard to @Pixelpipe for Social Web Publishing
Eye-Fi fans, have you ever wished you could expand on the web publishing capabilities of your Eye-Fi powered digital camera? Now you can by simply configuring your Eye-Fi card to publish through the mighty Pixelpipe Social Web Gateway.
If you’re not yet familiar with Pixelpipe then here’s a few advantages of connecting the two services:
-Post to about 100 additional services then provided by Eye-Fi alone. Our global offering of destinations range from Blogger, Twitter & Email to Kodak’s new Pulse digital picture frames. You can see a complete list at http://pixelpipe.com/capabilities.
- Send to multiple services at the same time. Would you like to upload to Flickr, Smugmug, Facebook, Picasa, Tumblr, WordPress & Evernote… all at the same time? Not a problem.
- Setup and configuration of a Pixelpipe account is free, easy & enables publishing from a wide variety of desktop and mobile applications.
At this point we’re not a default service option for Eye-Fi so you’ll need to configure Eye-Fi to take advantage of our Gallery API input for Eye-Fi uploads. Here’s a few steps you’ll to perform to get your Eye-Fi set up for Pixelpipe publishing. The Eye-Fi team said they’d offer us as a dedicated service if we’re popular however for now you’ll need to configure us as a Gallery service.
To get started create a Pixelpipe account if you don’t already have one and then follow these simple instructions.
1. Open the Eye-Fi Manager & select ‘Settings’ from the top menu
2. Now select ‘change’ web sharing from Photo Destinations & select ‘Add photo service’
3. Select ‘Gallery’ from the selection and enter the following values
Username: your Pixelpipe username
Password: your Pixelpipe password
URL: http://pixelpipe.com/services/gallery/main.php
4. Now select ‘Show advanced options’ and enter the following values
Account title: PixelpipeAlbum name: Custom text
Uses photo creation date: 1
That’s it, now when you upload to Gallery from your Eye-Fi your uploads will be routed via Pixelpipe to your destinations of choice.
If you have any questions or issues you can reach us at http://getsatisfaction.com/pixelpipe. If you like the combination of services please let the Eye-Fi team know so they can add us as a dedicated service, you can reach them on Twitter as @eyeficard.Happy Eye-Fi Uploading!
-Team Pixelpipe
Bookmarking this how-to on connecting Pixelpipe to Eye-fi so I can come back to it later, can’t wait to try it out
