Off to the Ft. Lauderdale Borders

No Girls Gone Wild this morning at the beach. It's off to another book signing very near the beach. So come on girls learn how to photograph each other come on down to the Borders only a couple a blocks from the beach.

What's the chance that any of those girls will read this? Thirty percent off the book at this signing.

Book Signing and Photography Seminar/Workshop at Borders and Self Portraits

Me, just in case you're from the media, here's a picture of me taken about two weeks ago. I've emailed many television stations and newspapers to let them know about the signings of "Digital Art Photography for Dummies" in:

1. Ft Myers Borders at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April Fools Day (April 1) no joke!
2. Ft. Lauderdale Borders at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 7.


Other than that, every photographer or artist should experiment with self portraits.

Here's how you do it:

1. Find a place to sit that's relatively clutter free both in front and in back. If you have to move a chair to the place go for it.
2. Check the lighting keep away from places where everything is casting a shadow.
3. Set your camera to portrait mode, look at the view finder and place the camera (use a tripod if you have to or a chair) so that it's pointing in the area where you will sit when it takes your picture.
4. Set the timer to the longest time there is. The timer shows up on your LCD screen as a clock (without a line crossed through it).
5. Place the camera where you want it and click on the shutter.
6. Quickly move to the place that you found where you will pose for a picture.
7. After the camera takes the picture look at the LCD screen to see if your head and shoulders are comfortably in the frame. If not zoom in or out to where you think you will be in the frame.
8. Set the timer again and click the shutter.
9. Check to see if you're framed well.
10. Repeat steps 6 to 9, this time practicing a pose, say leaning forward in with your arms resting on your knee (a writer's pose).

Book Signing Promotion

I was ready, ready at the beginning of the week cause I'd done my book signing homework.

Two weeks prior to signing: I emailed a couple of television stations and newspapers about my signing, a fun email, really...including the humor about how I got started in photography.

One week prior to signing: Received an answer from City Beat and Fox 6, a heads up that they will publicize my book signing.

Two days before signing: Appear on television, goes well...I'm interviewed by an anchor who lets me know that it's her first day on the job.

Day before signing: Prepare what I'm going to bring...my cards, my framed image, my portfolio (12X16 samples of my work in black leather case)

Day of signing: Pick up local paper "San Diego City Beat" and find that my book signing is the "pick of the week." Get to signing and it's a full house (okay, about 20 people show up, filling up all the chairs that Borders has set up for the event. Pass out my strange 60s collage, giving people a little bit of a retro shock. People hang out, talk photography, share their work and listen to my tips.


My Roll-Top Desk

During the signing, I found myself referring to past experiences to form the foundations of ones photography. For me, this brought up my fascination with roll-top desks. I can remember being 11 years old and letting my mom know that I wanted one. Not one time, but so many times that it became a nagging experience for my mother.

She finally broke down and bought me one.

Hence if I see a roll-top desk, it's, without a doubt, gonna be a subject for my photography.