There is no denying that Facebook is one of the hugest things to happen in this century for the online world. Knowing that, it is crucial we harness this knowledge for ourselves to increase traffic to the sites we own. Riding on the “Like” functionality that is spreading like wildfire all over the Internet, here’s an instruction guide on how to get it onto your Wordpress blog (if you’re not using Wordpress, I’m sorry… but there’s definitely similar guides to help you out).

Here’s an example of what it looks like after the functionality is enabled.

It’s a pretty straightforward process, really.

Step one: Click on “Add New” under the Plugins section, then type in “facebook social plugins”.

Step two: Locate the plugin that is by Olivier Lussier and click Install.

Step three: You may be prompted for your FTP details. Key them in and proceed.

Step four: Click Activate. Now, click on FB Social Settings in the left bar, under Settings.

Step five: The rest should be fairly self-explanatory. Select where you would prefer the “Like” buttons to appear, and you’re done!

In the inaugural episode zero of The Ninja Report, programme hosts Nick Leong and Mark Leo chat with the core team of WPPM (Wedding and Portrait Photographers Malaysia). Find out how they started, why they started and whether there will be nude models available during the conference!

Features: Alvin Leong, Patrick Low and Peter Tan.

Ever since I started my own business in video production & photography 4 years ago, I quickly realized that business sense doesn’t come easy to me. I didn’t really know where to start and what to do! I only knew how to create art – the work itself. But anything related to marketing, finance, advertising, client relationships… they were all new to me. Over time, I realized that I wasn’t alone in my struggles. After some discussion with the rest of the RedNinja.TV group, we decided to run a business series for photographers.

And the best thing…?

It’s free!

Our first topic will be “First impressions: The art of business card design”. Early on in my career, I knew that one of my weaknesses is design. Even though I was involved in the creative line, I did not really know how to come up with good designs. So why did I even bother designing my own business cards in the early days?

“No money to hire a designer”
“How hard can it be?!”
“I can shoot good photos, why can’t I design my own business card?”

When I attended the WPPI conference in March recently, I met many photographers who gave me their business cards that had terrible looking designs. It was then that it occurred to me that photographers are not necessarily designers. If you are a wedding and portrait photographer (or run ANY business for that matter!), first impressions are soooo important. And your business card is the start to creating that impression – whether your potential client has seen your work or not.

This business series will be conducted in a discussion format. In 2 hours, you will hear from different people – whether they are experts in that field, a couple about to get married or just another photographer sharing his thoughts. The point is to learn from one another – discuss and discover new things together. We do not claim to be experts in all fields, but hopefully, each of us has different experiences to share with each other.

Soooooo…..

For the topic of business card design, we will have 4 people on the discussion panel – Michael Lian (senior art director at Integricity) who will give his ideas on what good design is, Kris Wong from Weddings Malaysia, and Chen Hoe & Shirley (an engaged couple who are getting married in January 2011). If you would like to participate, please bring along your business card for critique, and we will help you improve on it. We hope that you will take all forms of criticism as constructive! Even if you decide not to submit for business cards for critique, do come anyway!

Please rsvp on our Facebook page by clicking on the link here.

Looking forward to meeting all of you!

Came across this fascinating presentation, which was also an excellent plug for Moo cards at the same time. It was done subtly and well, so I don’t mind semi-promoting them here.

It gives you a few ideas on what you can explore in order to harness the power of your networks and that of your clients.

I had a chance to share a part of my life as a wedding photographer at DCIM. It’s a place where I would meet so many fellow photogs. It was quite an event and together with the RedNinja.tv crew, we were invited to share some of our experiences at the Canon Interactive corner. We were given an hour each. Those who made it to the talk, thank you for coming and listening in. Those who didn’t, I document my points and chain of thoughts – a somewhat summary (rather long for a summary – it’s an hour talk). Here it goes:

I started the talk and welcome everybody for taking their time off.

I’ve always love this slide – I like the phrase Love brought us all together. I use this phrase for thank you notes (which I have neglected to send them out quite a while) to my client. Cos, their wedding + my love of photography brought us together. I know, I am quite a literal person. I thought it is nice. In the case of us at DCIM that day, Love brought us all together, and I mean our love for photography.

I quickly introduce myself and my family. I’ve quickly stated how creative my family is and perhaps why I am doing what I am doing today.

Here I am as a kid. Great set of pictures I thought. Who remembers the red color tvset they own in the 80s? I remember this tvset was kinda popular back then. I am wearing the lady bird round neck tshirt, which I think many kids has them as well. in the 3rd picture, was me running around – probably at Genting Highlands. I remember as a kid, that going to Genting was such joy. Going Genting Highlands means KFC in the cold. Yummz…

I explained that my mom was the creative person. She drew up a drawing from a featured wall in our old house.

There were a few goals I wanted to archive giving this talk. I wanted to share some of my insight of my recent shoot to keep people excited about wedding photography, and perhaps inspired with the imagery that I have to show.

The first story was my recent shoot in Perth. I was introducing the team and the journey path we took for the shoot.

There is plenty going on for this shot. Angie, my make up artist for the Perth shoot was beautician – whom she took care of my bride’s look, and at the same time, she was my photography assistant assisting with the vail. She was also my potter, holding my biggest and my baddest lens all the same time trying to get out of a shot.

I know what you are thinking. You are saying that she’s wonderwoman and Jon, you should be paying her well, if not – stop exploiting her talent! Let’s just say we are in this together and we both want the shoot to be as successful as possible. Saying so, her role at the end of day is still an make up artist. I work terribly hard myself to be my own photographer assistant.

Unlike a commercial shoot, where the client probably has deeper pockets and higher return of investment, wedding shoot has no return of investment and usually the budgets are pretty dry. We work with what we have.

I’ve also featured Lead You On – Time Lapse editing during the talk. You may watch it as below:

Lead You On – Time Lapse Editing from Jon Low on Vimeo.

The segment was geared to explain how me, as a wedding photographer work in a small team and move around shooting weddings. I went on and explain what’s in my camera bag when I go shooting.

I was showcasing Dancing In the Rain portfolio next. I was selling the idea of having a concept – which beats the hell of couples asking if we provide 100s and 1000s of gowns to shoot. Dancing in the rain was shot in front of my house’ porch. In the case of dancing in the rain, I found inspiration from the final dance by George Sampson, the winner of the British Got Talent show in 2008. He was dancing in the rain, and I thought it would be nice to replicate for a wedding shoot.

I would love to be doing a themed wedding shoot! Hook me up if there is anything

Out of this world is a portfolio which explains my travel and hike to our very own Niah Cave in Miri. This is one of the shoot which sometimes when I look back, I wish we’ve have bigger budget for more crew and lights to accomplish extraordinary pictures. By itself already, I felt I have done fair.

With determination, and even more so for the bride and groom, we hike in to the cave prior the shoot, which took half our lives away. It was pretty adventurous and out of this world literally. My question to the floor was “How adventurous are you?”

Wedding Day is by far my week to week challenge shooting brides and grooms on their auspicious day.

I was showcasing pre ceremonial and portrait shoot during the wedding day. I thought that family portraits can be done tastefully and believable if it is done right. I love story telling photographs, and I love good looking pictures. Hence, I would direct my bride and groom doing certain things they are already doing, better. I would take time off to take their family portraits – all in a wedding day.

And to quote perhaps, the masters of wedding photography I’ve learnt from. Are you taking pictures? Or are you creating them? I buy into that quote and it really defines how I shoot wedding days to date.

All these showcases and stories – from Perth, to Dancing in the Rain, Out of this World and perhaps Wedding Day has one thing in common. The Bride and Groom spend ginormous amount of time, effort and investment to put themselves out all in the name of wedding photography, and I started to question the intention myself. What were their motivation?

Is it really the trend where everyone is taking wedding photographs, that you need to have photographs for yourself? Even if so, why the effort?

I got myself involve with wedding photography, and I started to be curious with what my old folks has gone through back in the days when they got married. I dug through their 3R photographs that they keep rather loosely in a shoe box in a cupboard for many many years. One reason why they were in a shoe box was due to a flood back when I was staying in my old house. The very famous Jerry Ghionis told us in the class – if there were fire, you would probably save your wedding albums first. And I thought how ridiculous it was then – but, hey those 3R photos last through to date , and I am glad.

I took a photo of some of the photograph, and started including my old folks wedding pictures into the talk I gave back in Prince Hotel. My mom was there to see her photographs being presented. I don’t know about my mom, but I felt good that she listened in.

This is probably one reason out of million of reasons why photography is so important in people’s life. I could relate. Arguably, I am bias because I am in the industry.

Wouldn’t it be nice if one day, your kid found a photograph of you and said that “Wow, mommy and daddy walking on the moon!” It’s so cool.

But really? Is that important? How about for generations to come? How great are we preserving moments to share it to our grandkids? Do we age like fine wine?

Do you know what is definate?

We all move on and grow up. Time passes on and age catch us up.

I wouldn’t have known that I had really great childhood. All because my mom and dad really cared for me. Memory can only serve us so much. It changed the way I feel about my old folks. My mom, as beautiful as she is, is a mother of 3 and she age. She kept reminding us kids that she was once upon a time a beautiful and attractive woman. Well, after looking at the photograph. I am sold. I then know my dad has good taste. .

I realised then, photographs has made a big impact in my life.

It’s an important realization. I thought. It changes the way I approach my job, my client. I realize how much impact I would make at the very beginning of the couple’s marriage life. I realize how much value I am able to produce for my clients. It changes the way I value my work, and approach the people I want to be shooting the way I would want to shoot. I started to attract people who get my way and understand what I do.

And as for me, the best part about the realization is that I am just at the beginning of my journey. I showcased my recent work I’ve done in a slideshow to end the presentation.

The Journey from Jon Low on Vimeo.

Just a short entry on this one. Grace will be at DCIM on Sunday 16th May 2010 at 2.45pm for her talk at Canon’s booth. See you there!

A big shout out for those who came and supported Jon’s and Mark’s presentation today. It was lovely to see so many of you guys!

During the camp, participants were tasked on two areas, an individual challenge as well as a group challenge. In the individual challenges, each person would be tasked to practice what they learned during Wiki’s talk and to put it into action when they were photographing the models. For the group challenge, each group had to take photos of each member to depict who they were and to show what their personalities are like through these photos. Once the photos has been taken, then the groups would have to create individual slide shows.

Here are the slide shows that were created by the groups. These slide shows are just amazing!

Group 1’s slide show:

Group 2’s slide show:

Group 3’s slide show:

Group 4’s slide show:

Guess which group won the challenge?

Wiki calls it the bootcamp. I call it the camp. To the 31 people that were in PD, to us was a great gathering. I have a Thank You card that I often use “Love Brings Us Together” that were given to my brides and grooms. I guess in our context “Love Brings Us Together”. Our love for photography has brought everyone around Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Sabah, Sarawak and all the way from down under. To the organizers, what a good way to get to know each other better – and what a great start to many more things I hope to archive with you guys.

There is just so many photographs to blog about, and I am just going to narrate the photograph to what happened and what you’ve missed from the camp.

,

Did we say Sabah, Sarawak, Penang etc. Actually, we had participants representing ABC Network – Homer Simpson. We had the great Julius Ceasar, Michael Jackson… etc etc etc. All around. All thanks to our Ice Breaking session conducted by Mark.

Want to know how this is played out? Come to our next gathering!

Alex get straight into the serious note on the camp. *ehem* When was the last time you back up your data?

Guys, my first live demo during a talk. Kate seated down from my posing direction. Trust me, I do a better job in the real world .

Mark demoing his slideshow skills.

While the ninjas were sorting out education, the ladies were sorting out ninja pads. Rooms for everyone! Anna, Kate and Mun Tzin working fantastically together.

It wasn’t a rumor that the camp was full of life and fun. We’ve got evidence!

Wiki loving EOS.

The best H+W team in the world. Ilona + Wiki.

Stationaries! Guys, Debra from Acadia graciously provided writing pads for us to conteng-menonteng. All your best ninja secret should be written down. Where did you guys keep your booklet?

We break into groups for group assignments and individual assignment. Here is my rendition of what I thought Benjamin was. Benjamin – crinching his fist, screaming at the top of his lungs, while the camera hangs in there.

Andrew’s smiles.

The mysterious Teng Wei.

As for Jonathan – I am sorry, but I ran out of time, I didn’t manage to capture your portrait in your own skin.

We had Rachel + Ser Young for our group’s individual challenge. What great opportunity to put what was thought in the classroom, to be out there having a practical session. The participants were then select their best 5 they did on the field for a brutal critic session.

How would you critic this photo?

Classroom continue after room check in + dinner. Not so bed time stories when Grace talks about getting to know your client better.

And Jenny shares how she attracts the clients that she love to shoot.

These photos are just the surface to what really happened during the camp. What we brought back were photos, and smiles.

We can’t get away from organizing an event, without a fun group photograph! Thanks Kaz for taking the picture.

Don’t mess with us. We are ninjas.

Do check out our Facebook Group with all the happening photos!

Hello guys!

First of all, thank you for all of you attending and participating to my seminar and bootcamp. I don’t think I can thank you enough. Ilona and I were welcomed and treated nothing but like celebrities Yayyy, we are celebrities.. just kidding

My experiences at the event was very very positive. The audience was so welcoming and also keen in educating themselves. I met so many new wonderful friends from this event. RedNinja team definitely knows the best in how to educate the Malaysian photographers.

During the event, I was so disappointed to be unable to document the event that I wish to like. I can’t wait to see more photos and video from the RedNinja team. I am sure it’ll be cool to listen my own voice.. hahahah *lol* If you haven’t seen some of them, you can check it out in their facebook fan page.

Here are some footages that were taken during the preparation in the seminar and also practical session in the bootcamp. I hope it does some justice of how much fun we experienced in the seminar and the bootcamp.

Or click here
Last but not least, We had the best time enjoying and exploring KL. Big thanks to our coolest host ever, Jenny Sun and Ju Kuang Tan.

Photos are such an important component in storytelling, and the challenge for photographers is to be mindful of how we sequence events in chronology and present the message. Renée Byer is a Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer who shares a heartwarming 13-minute slideshow she presented at TEDxTokyo.

Do follow along and stay till the end as Renée shares a story of a mother’s love for her child who is dying. Her storytelling power is truly something to marvel at and learn from.