Free Online Digital Photo Class!

Looking to improve your own digital photography skills over the summer? Send me an email from my webpage and let us know you are interested in the digital photography class. We will be providing you with great tips and assignments to help you improve those summer pictures! Class will be starting the first week in July so contact us soon!

June Digital Photo Tip

F-Stop Madness!

Do you like to use the automatic mode on your camera? Do the f-stop numbers(probably 4-16 or 22 confuse you? Here is a tip. Remember Sunny 16 outside on an average sunny day with your camera aperture setting at 16 in regular sunny daylight should give you a good exposure. This should give you a good guideline as you move into different situations. The darker the situation the lower the number the brighter the higher. Have fun shooting!

Summers a Great Time For Exterior Building Photography

Do you own a business or have a graphic design project for the summer to complete? Hire us to capture those dynamic photos of your location and architecture. These photos are powerful selling tools in brochures,business cards and pamphlets.The weather during the summer season really is a fantastic reason to capture your location looking its best.

$150.00 Family Portrait Special !

 

Call us to schedule a on-location family portrait at your choice of location which within a half hour ride of Bradford or Winchester,Massachusetts. Choose up to 8 family members for an hour long photoshoot. You will also recieve all images on cd.

Our Price: $150.00

Family Portrait Time!

Now is a great time to schedule your family portrait with us. We can come to your location and set up in your home or at a favorite family spot. On http://www.danieldowns.com we have a handy family portrait planning questionnaire which will help you sort out what your needs are and how we can best assist you. Imagine a beautiful family portrait at the beach in July or August! How about that family barbecue or party? Give us a call and lets arrange something beautiful and memorable!

The Power Of Marketing Images

 

 

How many times has a graphic or powerful image drawn you into an advertisement or store front? Powerful marketing involves the use of powerful images and graphics in order to sell an idea or to send a message to the consumer. Combined with taglines and a message, photographic images are the first image most consumers are confronted with. This fact  makes images critical to the success or failure of print advertising or web graphics.

     The quality of these images is very important and should not be treated lightly or sacrificed in the creation of marketing materials or an advertising message. A professional photographer is equipped with the right tools and ideas to bring your businesses ideas together into a package which sends powerful and unforgettable messages.

Making a Personal Connection

     Portraits and commercial photography brings the consumer instantly in touch with your business through images and graphics. A powerful portrait or business image can make a connection over any advertising medium whether it be the web or in print. The personality can shine through and elements of customer service and quality can be sent in the original message your consumer or field sees.

Be the First Connection

     There is very little time in order to gain the attention of the consumer. Often they are drawn so quickly away that the true message you want to send is never realized. A consumer or viewer needs to be intrigued and feel a connection to your product or service. The fastest way to do this is to base a marketing plan and design strategy around images and making connections which hold true meaning to the message that what you want to send .

     Think about your current website, business card or advertising materials, sure you understand their message because you see and connect with it every day but do your consumers or business associates? Often a competitor who has a more distinct marketing strategy who can capture the imagination and attention of others has opened themselves up to their market faster and can explain more about themselves because they had the first chance to sell themselves. Think about what you personally are drawn to naturally. Do you see this in your marketing?

Day 2 in Peru-The Train Ride To Macchu Picchu

Homes are scattered along the hills.

My wife and I woke up at 5 am to catch a bus which her father had ordered for us to take to the train station for out train ride to Macchu Picchu. Unfortunately, the bus we were waiting for never came and we quickly needed to find a taxi to take us to the station. The train for Macchu Picchu leaves very early from Cusco around 6:30 am.  I suggest taking the train early to experience a full day at one of the most beautiful places in the world. The tickets which include the cost of Macchu Picchu and the ride home are approximately $160.00 per person.

 

 

You really gain a feel for how the people of  Peru live.

The train ride out of Cusco to Macchu Picchu takes 4 hours each way and passes through beautiful Peru landscape scattered with small villages, beautiful rivers and mountains. The very beginning of the trip is extremely interesting because the train goes through a series of switchbacks in order to get out of the city. The switchbacks slowly take you out into the country side.

 

The amazing part of train journey is seeing the wonderful people of Peru and their small villages. Small children wave as the train passes through their villages. They are extremely proud of their culture and heritage. The train makes several stops along the way to Macchu Picchu and locals sell corn, cocoa leaves and other snacks. In some of the trains there is a beverage cart service which serves coffee and Inca Cola.

The landscape viewed on the train ride is amazing. The snow capped mountain ranges and raging rivers really make the time fly by. The anticipation mounts as you become connected to the landscape by being enveloped by mountains on each side of you and raging rivers and farming steppe systems from the time of the Incas.  You also begin to understand the international draw of Macchu Picchu as you are surrounded by people from all over the world. I remember across from us was two Brazilian girls, to our side were some Swiss people and as you walk around the train there is a heavy European influence and multiple languages.

My first Evening In Cusco,Peru

Cusco,Peru at night.

Happy 1st Birthday!

Smiles all around!

A beautiful view!

Some original peruvian treats.

Just sittin and waiting to go to the party.

Carlos perusing the neighborhood.

Typical Cusco streetsign.

A very photogenic father in law.

The Inca Emblem in Cusco.

My father in law getting his shoes shined. There are many sho shing vendors around Cusco.

A sign for individual auto roads.

Just an example of how tight the roads are in Cusco.

An overlook in the center of Cusco.

A building just near the “Plaza de Armas”

Some traditonal Inca women pose with me.

Me posing with the 12 angled stone.

A traditionally dressed Inca girl.

The famous “piedra de los 12 angulos” or 12 angled stone.

As the sun set on the small city of Cusco my wife and I headed off to her cousins house for a birthday party for my wifes god-child. Before the party had started I got a great opportunity to photograph some portraits of my wifes husband. He was very photogenic and provided a great opportunity to get some great shots.

The party provided a great opportunity to meet more of my wife’s family. It was great to see her family all together sharing in the party. The lively atmosphere of the party also provide good photo opportunities. I was however proud of the session I had with my with my wife’s dad Carlos as the sun set on the city.

February Vacation In Peru

My new “familia”.

Musicians greet incoming travelers in the airport terminal.

The statue of “Inka Pachakuteq” can be seen at the end of the “Avenue El Sol”.

Daewoos racing through the streets of Cusco.

One of the benefits of having a wife who is from Cusco,Peru is being able to visit my new family. Me and my wife planned a very busy week of visiting her family in Cusco and Quillabamba. Both of these cities have an amazing sites to visit as well as friendly people. Our trip also included a day trip to visit Macchu Piccu and a stay at my new Father in-Laws farm about 20 minutes outside of Quillabamba. Our flight went from Boston to Miami then to Lima and then to Cusco’s small airport. Once we arrived in Cusco we were greeted by my wifes wonderful family. We then drove to the city square of Cusco and did some sight seeing. The roads in Cusco are very hectic and most of the cars are small Japanese Daewoo’s which are taxi’s. Most people travel by taxi because it is very cheap(about 2 or 3 american dollars).

The highlight of my first day in Cusco was going to the city center in which I saw the Church and had photos taken with some of the locals. As a photographer the first day was a real feast as I had many sites in the center of the city churches,people and general landscape.

Cover Credit For Healthcare Ledger

 

I was recently asked for permission to use one of my photos for the cover of the Healthcare Ledger. The cover article features an article by Menish K Sethi MD.  The photo comes from a shoot done for the Mass Medical Society and The New England Journal Of Medicine back in August of last year.  To check out the Healthcare Leadger you can go to http://HealthcareLedger.com. To view more photos of the Mass Medical Society shoot you can view the Architectural Photography part of my website at http://www.danieldowns.com.